Prove 'em Wrong
by AceAmir
Summary: Astra Andrite was murdered ten years ago. Her brother Alex wants to become a pokemon trainer, but his father won't allow it. After meeting a wandering Lucario, Alex runs away from home and begins a journey which will pit him against dangerous poachers, a powerful rival, and the machinations of a mad scientist - all to become Unova's Champion and prove his father wrong. (On hiatus)
1. Chance Encounter

**Obligatory Disclaimer:** This is a non-profit fan work set in the Pokemon Universe. Pokemon is owned by Nintendo, Gamefreak, and HAL Laboratories. With the exception of Alex, his family, and upcoming original characters, I own none of the characters or settings used in this story.

* * *

 **Chapter 1: Chance Encounter**

* * *

What was a _trah-guh-dee?_ The little six year old boy, eavesdropping from behind the kitchen door despite being told to stay in his room, never heard that word before. Not too long ago, a policeman knocked on the door looking for his parents. He went and brought his dad, and then the policeman whispered something that made him turn pale. He told Alex to go to his room and wait, that mom and dad needed to talk to the policeman for a while and they'd come get him soon. At first he was content to play with his toys, but he was bored now and wanted to know what was going on.

Alex felt something soft nuzzle the back of his head. He looked behind him and saw his father's Ampharos, Amy. The golden sheep-like pokemon baa'd at him worriedly, and Alex patted her head. " _Shhh!_ _I want to hear what they're saying!_ " he whispered. Amy gave him a stern look and baa'd at him again, pointing to the stairs behind her. "Please, just a few more minutes!" the boy pleaded. "They've been down here forever and I wanna' know why."

" _IS_ _THAT'S ALL YOU HAVE TO SAY!?_ " That was his dad, Alex realized. He'd never heard him that angry before, and the loudness of it made both him and Amy jump. " _How the hell did this happen!?_ You're the police, you're supposed to protect her _damn it_!"

"Sir, please calm down." That was the policeman that time, voice soft but firm. "We've launched a full-scale investigation. I promise you, we're doing everything we can to catch the ones responsible for this."

The little boy took a gamble and cracked the door open. Bright cyan eyes saw his parents sitting at the table, opposite of the policeman. Dad's face was red and his eyes were bloodshot. Mom sat beside him whimpering as tears fell down her face. Why was she crying, and why was dad so angry?

Then dad calmed down, and little Alex saw him crying too. "That won't bring her back though…" He tried his hardest not to sob. "My little Astra…I told her she was too young to start her journey! This is all my fault…"

"Don't you dare…! Don't you _fucking_ dare _Alistair Andrite!_ " his mom roared. "This isn't your fault and you know it! Those…those _monsters_ are the ones who did this to our baby girl. Don't you _dare_ put this on yourself!"

"Elanor…" his dad said, but mom was already standing up. She ran to the door sobbing and opened it, but froze when she saw Alex and Amy sitting there. Alistair paled and the policeman looked uncomfortable.

"Mom, dad, what's going on?" Alex asked. "Why are you crying? Why is the policeman here? Did I do something wrong…?"

Mom scrunched up her face and dad left his seat. He bent down and scooped his son into his arms and hugged him, stroking his wispy blonde hair. "No Alex, you did nothing wrong," his dad said with a trembling voice. "This is about your sister Astra."

Alex nodded. He'd been told about his older sister. She left when he was three years old to become a pokemon trainer and travel Unova with other pokemon like Amy. His parents often showed him pictures she sent and he'd talked to her a few times over the phone, but otherwise he didn't know much about her. "Did _she_ do something bad?" he finally asked.

His dad responded with something that sounded like a sob mixed with a chuckle. "No…no she didn't do anything wrong, Alex."

The boy didn't understand. "Then what's wrong?" he asked. His dad released him from the hug and put a hand to his shoulder. Eyes red, tears falling down his face, his father Alistair uttered the sentence that would change his life forever.

"…your sister Astra is dead."

* * *

 _~Ten years later~_

* * *

"Alex, get up! Breakfast is almost ready!" A boy with wispy blonde hair slowly opened his eyes. He tried to fall back asleep, twisting and turning in his bed, but found the sunlight peeking into his room made that impossible. Grumbling, he threw off his blankets and got up to begin the day. He bathed, brushed, and put on clothes; he decided to wear a blue shirt with tan pants and a black vest over the top. He looked himself over in the mirror with cyan eyes, making sure nothing was out of place, and went downstairs to greet his parents.

One of the few perks of being unemployed was supposed to be sleeping in, but he should have known better than to think his parents would allow that. At sixteen years old, Alex had managed to go through ten jobs in the sleepy hollow of Flocessy Town in the past year. _Ten_ of them, in a dirt bowl barely big enough to call a town, all lost because he either spoke his mind or got into some sort of accident. It wasn't his fault working in Floccesy was about as interesting as watching Oddish grow! His clumsiness, though, was admittedly his own fault. It was one of a long list of things he didn't like about himself.

Alex entered the kitchen to the smell of bacon and eggs. His mother was running to-and-fro, finishing the last of her breakfast preparations, while his father sat at the table engrossed in a newspaper. His mother was a petite woman with dark hair and green eyes. He was short like her, but for the most part Alex took after his father. When he looked at him, it felt like looking into one of those circus mirrors that distorted your reflection and made you look bigger.

"Morning mom, breakfast smells great!" Alex chirped as he gave his mother a small hug. He thought about doing the same with his father, but decided against it. He wasn't happy that Alex lost _another_ job last Friday. Instead, he settled on, "Hey dad," before going to the fridge to pour a glass of milk.

"Good morning Alexander," Alistair greeted evenly. Alex winced; his father only called him that when he was _exceptionally_ mad at him. Oh, today was going to be a fun day… The older man continued, "I've been looking at the job listings this morning. I've get a list of places for you to visit when you're finished eating."

Before Alex could respond, Elanor quickly intervened, "Alistair, he's only been unemployed for a weekend. Give him a break, he's still just a boy and—"

"Except he's not Elanor," Alistair interrupted. "He's almost an adult and needs to act like it. Part of that means finding a job and developing a career, preferably one that keeps him in town. It's for his own good."

Alex frowned, but wisely kept his mouth shut. He accepted the sheet of paper offered to him and gave it a look-over. Most of them were part-time jobs, all of them openings for unskilled laborers. Without a word, he sat down with his family and ate his breakfast.

Alex _knew_ what he wanted to do with his life; he wanted to become a pokemon trainer and travel Unova. However, he didn't feel like having that argument again, the one where he would beg them to sign off on his trainer's license and Alistair would point to his track record for making mistakes and getting into trouble as reason not to. Inevitably, his sister would get dragged into the discussion as an example of why it was too dangerous for him, and Alex would be forced to surrender lest he really push his parents. Astra…he had mixed feelings about her death. Apparently, she was murdered in Castelia City by some bandits, who took her money and pokemon and ran. The police never found the killers, and the tragedy haunted his parents to this day. Since then, Alistair strictly forbade Alex from becoming a trainer; despite the fact his father was a trainer himself long ago.

Part of him was mad at her, but deep down he knew it wasn't her fault and tried to keep those thoughts in check. It frustrated him to no end though; what few friends he made left years ago to begin their journeys. Most of the people he knew in town at least had a pokemon as a partner or pet. Not Alex. Amy was good company, but it wasn't the same. Ultimately, she was _Alistair's_ pokemon, not his, and until he had a pokemon of his own that void would remain unfilled.

As if on cue, Amy lumbered in and baa'd a greeting to the family. She wandered over to Alistair first, who sat aside his paper and scratched her head while she nuzzled him. Then she likewise greeted Elanor before allowing Alex his own turn to scratch her. She then went to the plate of pokemon food sat aside for her and joined everyone else in their silent breakfast.

Alex was the first to finish. "Thanks mom, that was really good." He got up with a stretch and put his dirty dishes in the sink, grabbed his backpack and the list, and made for the door. "Well, I guess I better get to job hunting then. I'll be back later this evening."

"Good luck honey," Elanor said. "Remember, dinner's at six, so please try to be home before then." Alex nodded, promised he would remember, and left.

Floccesy Town was a small hamlet in the south-western corner of Unova that sat between two routes connecting the more populous cities of Aspertia and Virbank. Dirt roads, small homes, and modest stores provided a meager infrastructure for its citizens. Most who lived in Floccesy would admit there wasn't much to do and that life was simple, but peaceful. Many peopole left when they became of age, but most looked back on the town with a quirky sense of nostalgia.

Of course, Alex would not be one of those people. He also had no intention of job hunting that day, and once he was comfortably out of sight he reached into his backpack and pulled out a single red-and-white pokeball. There were nine more where that came from, which meant he had a total of ten chances to catch his own pokemon. It had cost him the last of his savings, but Alex knew it would be worth it. His father was afraid he couldn't handle being a trainer; well, a freshly caught pokemon would surely change his mind. It wasn't the first time he'd tried this. Starting a few months ago, Alex began to sneak away in the evening with a handful of pokeballs to try his luck. He didn't succeed, obviously, but this time he felt he would finally catch something. At the very least he hoped so; autumn was fast approaching, and after that winter, which meant wild pokemon would become increasingly scarce. Plan in mind and Pokeball in hand, the blonde-haired teenager set off east towards Route 20—towards his destiny, he thought dramatically.

Route 20 served as the connection between Floccesy Town and Vibrank City. It was a relatively short route with lots of slopes, as well as a steep drop-off mid-way. A river cut through the forest, prompting the construction of a few bridges where the winding river impeded progress. A cool breeze blew across the path and prompted Alex to stop for a moment and just take it all in. He desperately wanted to travel, if for nothing else than to see more places like this. He resumed his journey with a broad smile and determination to spare.

Alex crossed the river and headed into the grassy forest. People occasionally came here to train, but by now most of them knew Alex wasn't a trainer and let him be. They also knew his father, which is why none of them offered to loan him a pokemon to help him capture his own. Alex didn't mind; the point of him capturing the pokemon anyway _was_ to show his dad he could handle being a trainer.

Before long, Alex managed to stumble upon a small Patrat. The chipmunk-like pokemon sat under a tree silently nibbling at an acorn, completely unaware of the human watching him twenty feet away. Alex grabbed the first of his pokeballs with a trembling hand, waited a moment longer to make sure Patrat wouldn't flee, and finally threw the ball. The Scout pokemon looked up just in time to see the ball make contact and suck him inside in a flash of white light.

Alex held his breath. The ball shook once…twice…three times…

The Patrat emerged in another flash of light, barked something angrily, and ran. Alex groaned and opened his backpack to stare at the remaining nine Pokeballs. Nine more chances…he knew he could still do this! The blonde-haired teenager shook away his disappointment and continued deeper into the forest.

Unfortunately, the rest of his attempts yielded similar results. Either the pokemon would escape the ball at the last moment, or dodge the throw entirely and let the ball smash against something. The first few hours passed quickly, but as his enthusiasm waned time seemed to slow to a crawl. It was well past noon when Alex was down to his last pokeball. He did his best to control it, but an anxious panic was creeping into his thoughts. No, no! He knew he could do it! If this was his last pokeball, well…then he'd just make it count!

Alex came to the edge of a clearing in the forest and stopped. A small Purrloin sat under a tree grooming its purple fur, ignorant of his presence. This was it, he thought. His last chance today to catch a pokemon and prove to his father that he could handle being a pokemon trainer! Alex held his breath and dared to creep closer to the small cat…and promptly stepped on a twig and broke it with a large _crack_.

The Purrloin shot up and looked him dead in the eyes. Alex panicked and chucked the Pokeball as fast and hard as he could. The purple cat easily dodged the contraption and it shattered on the tree behind it. With an angry glare at its would-be trainer, the Purrloin vanished deeper into the forest.

Alex stood staring at the broken Pokeball for what felt like forever. Then, frustration overwhelmed him. He walked over, picked up the shattered ball, screamed and flung it as hard as he could. Then he started punching the tree, shouting angry nothings in-between each blow. Alex eventually let up, panting and rubbing his bleeding knuckles as anger shifted into somber reflection. Resigned that he had failed, the teenager turned away and started back towards the main route.

He stopped when he saw something watching him from the bushes.

It was humanoid in shape, with blue fur, black paws, a small tail bent at the end, and a cream-colored torso. A jackal-like head with four black appendages dangling from the back stared at him with fierce red eyes. A pointed spike protruded from each wrist, with a third stuck out of his chest.

Alex couldn't believe it. It was a Lucario! They were rare even in their home country of Sinnoh, and despite the horde of Riolu that passed through Floccesy years ago he'd never actually seen either member of the evolutionary family. But here was one now, and it was standing ten feet away from him!

 _Was_ standing ten feet away. Now it was fleeing.

"Hey, wait, _please!_ " Alex had no idea why he bothered. He was out of pokeballs. He wasn't a great trainer. The Aura pokemon had no reason to listen to him. But he had a feeling… Lucario hadn't just randomly passed by. He'd stopped to watch him. Maybe that meant something! Maybe…just _maybe_ —

The thought was interrupted by Alex's foot snagging a tree root. He promptly tripped and tumbled down the side of a small hill and into a patch of dark green grass. "Ow…" he moaned as the pain set in. Then something began squirming underneath him. Alex slowly pushed himself up, and found he had landed on top of a small Venipede. The green-and-magenta colored bug crawled away in a fearful chatter, bruised but otherwise unharmed. The same wasn't true of Alex. He was pretty sure his ankle was sprained, and a quick inspection confirmed it.

Alex groaned. "Great…just, just _great,_ " he said to himself. No pokemon, no pokeballs, no Lucario, and now a sprained ankle…in the middle of the forest...oh, and it was past noon and he was hungry again. He was going to limp home, his father was going find out everything, and the proverbial shit was going to hit the fan. His thoughts became bitter. Things couldn't get much worse.

A monstrous howl promptly proved him wrong. From behind the bushes emerged the Venipede Alex accidentally squashed before…and behind it stood an enraged Scolipede. The black-and-magenta centipede towered over the young man and glared with furious yellow eyes. Venom dripped from its forelegs, and it slowly staggered towards him with its antenna-like horns lowered. Alex quickly realized the Scolipede was a mother, and the Venipede was her child. The small human had hurt her baby; she intended to make him regret it.

Fear and panic seized Alex. He got up to run, but only made it a few steps on his bad leg before falling again. He tried to yell for help, but all he could manage was a terrified scream. The Scolipede's antenna glowed and she charged at her child's aggressor with a Megahorn attack.

A blue blur whooshed in front of Alex. Lucario took the full brunt of the attack before grabbing the bug's glowing horns and throwing her to the side. Scolipede caught her footing and roared at the interloper, who responded with a loud bark and a low growl. When she refused to back down, Lucario rushed her, palms glowing in wispy blue aura.

Scolipede responded by spitting a glob of toxic slime, but Lucario's steel typing negated the effect. Fists glowing, Lucario hammered the Megapede Pokemon with a series of powerful blows, ending his assault with a bullet-like punch as hard as steel. Scolipede staggered backwards, recovered, and charged with glowing horns. Lucario nimbly jumped over the attack and landed behind her. Before she could turn around, Lucario rushed up to her, placed glowing blue palms against her side, and launched her across the field with a powerful Force Palm.

Scolipede slowly recovered from the attack. She looked at the Aura Pokemon—crouched into a fighting stance, red eyes blazing with fierce determination—and decided to cut her losses. Scolipede roared one final time, and retreated with its child into the forest.

Alex slowly lifted himself up, careful not to put too much weight on his ankle. "Wow, Lucario…you saved me. I don't know what to…what I mean is…"

Lucario suddenly seized up and fell. Alex quickly limped to him and knelt beside the injured Pokemon. Lucario's breathing was labored, and when Alex placed a hand on the Pokemon's head he found it was burning hot.

"You're sick…" Alex muttered in realization. The Lucario gave him a look and tried to stand up again, but found his battle depleted the last of his strength. Alex considered the situation carefully. He was alone and in poor health. Despite being only four feet tall, Lucario weighed around 120 pounds, and it would be hell for Alex to carry him on a sprained ankle. Yet, the Lucario had saved him, even though he was sick, and _after_ Alex chased him through the forest. The decision was obvious.

"C'mon buddy, I'm not leaving you out here alone." With a strained grunt, the blonde teenager lifted the pokemon over his shoulder, careful not to let the chest-spike stick into his shoulder. Lucario started to struggle, but quickly realized he didn't have much choice. Alex began to limp through the forest with his unusual passenger towards the nearest road that would take him back to Floccesy Town. It was going to be a long hike…

* * *

"Hello, and welcome to the Pokemon Center! We restore your tired pokemon to…full…health…" The Pokemon Center nurse stopped mid-way through her greeting. A young man, covered in dirt and limping on one leg, was carrying what appeared to be an injured Lucario. The teenager was panting and covered in sweat. He winced as he staggered towards the desk.

"Oh… _oh my!_ Young man, what happened to you?" the nurse asked as she hurried around her desk to help them.

"I was…route 20…wild pokemon and…this Lucario…" Alex collapsed to his knees, somehow managing not to drop his passenger. The nurse called for assistance, and soon a group of doctors and nurses whisked them into the back room. After the two were settled in, Alex explained what happened. Thankfully, Alex's injury wasn't severe, but he would have to wear an ankle brace for a couple of months. That didn't matter to him so much as how the Lucario was doing.

The Aura pokemon was in a bed on the other side of the room. Three blankets covered him, and a wet towel was laid across his head. Alex slowly limped over and sat on a chair beside him, watching as he stirred in his sleep.

For a while, he silently watched Lucario's breathing. "He's going to be okay, right?" he asked.

"Well, we've treated his battle injuries," the Nurse began, "so there shouldn't be complications there. There are no signs of infection, so he likely just caught some form of the flu. He'll be fine after a few days' rest."

Alex let out a sigh of relief. "I'm really glad to hear it. I was worried for a little bit." The blond reached out a hand and experimentally scratched the Lucario behind the ear. It didn't fully wake him, but he was conscious long enough to lean into the scratch before falling back asleep. Alex smiled, patted Lucario on the head one last time, and withdrew his hand.

The nurse smiled. "It's nice to that you two are so close. More trainers could learn to care for their pokemon as much as you do."

Alex blinked. "Oh, you thought—no, that's not my Lucario. I don't even have a trainer's license, or a starter of any kind. My father kind of won't help me get one…"

The nurse seemed surprised, but quickly shook it off. "Ok, yeah, now that I think about it that makes sense. I was wondering why you carried him on your shoulder instead of in his Pokeball."

"Yeah…" Alex admitted meekly. "I'm pretty sure he's wild. I noticed him watching me trying to catch a pokemon. It was right after I ran out of pokeballs and—"

"So _that's_ what you were doing all day?" Alex's blood ran cold. Slowly and with great trepidation, he turned towards the door and saw his father staring at him with an icy glare.

Panic stole his voice, but luckily the nurse spoke first, "I take it you must be his father? Your son carried a sick Lucario all the way from Route 20 on a sprained ankle. You've raised a kind-hearted young man, sir."

"Yes, I heard," Alistair growled, first looking to his son, then the unconscious pokemon on the bed. "Too bad his kind heart doesn't make him any less foolish." Alex winced, and the nurse gave the elder man a strange look. "Thank you for calling me, miss. Alexander, we'll talk about this later. We're going home. _Now._ "

"Wait, but…" Alex hesitated, but figured he couldn't really get into any more trouble than he already was in. "Dad, that Lucario saved my life! I just want to—."

"He's in a Pokemon Center. He'll be fine," Alistair replied curtly. "Besides, he's not your pokemon."

Alex was about to meekly object, when the nurse placed a hand on his shoulder. "We'll take good care of him. You can come visit every day until he gets well. I think you need to go home to your family now; they were very worried when I talked to them earlier."

Alex gave in. "Ok, I guess. Thank you for fixing my ankle, and for looking after Lucario." With that, he slowly got up and left with his father. The nurse watched them leave, her thin smile vanishing once they were gone. The nurse checked on the Lucario one last time, and went back to her spot at the counter. She really hoped that boy's father wouldn't get too mad at him. She could understand not allowing a child to become a trainer—the world _was_ filled with super-powered monsters that could spit fire and shoot lightning—but the way he seemed to just _dominate_ his son kind of…unnerved her.

She brushed the thoughts aside as a tall man dressed in white came in. She had a job to do after all, and she welcomed him and proceeded to tend to his pokemon's wounds.

* * *

The conversation Alex had with his family was not pleasant. His father tore him a new one, admonishing him for both his stupidity in the forest and for lying to him. Amy was inside her pokeball. His mother, who was normally supportive of Alex in these arguments, remained silent. When the nurse told her what happened she'd almost had a panic attack. It made Alex feel worse—now _neither_ of his parents thought he could handle being a pokemon trainer. He was alone and outnumbered.

Then his father tried to forbid him from visiting Lucario. That prompted Alex, who until this point had taken his verbal-lashing with meek silence, to _explode_.

"Why!? Why can't I go visit Lucario!?" Alex roared.

Alistair was momentarily caught off guard, but his son's indignation actually seemed to make him even angrier. "Why can't you? _Why can't you?_ Because I _fucking_ said so, _that's why!"_ Alistair was practically foaming as he spoke, and Alex was slightly intimidated by his father's anger. "You not only lied to me, but went into the deepest part of the forest without any pokemon to protect you and almost got killed! _This_ is why I don't let you become a pokemon trainer Alex—you don't think about things and you're completely oblivious!"

"You keep saying I can't do this and I can't do that, but you won't even give me a chance!" Alex responded indignantly. "Like just now—'don't go into the forest without a pokemon.' Well how _can_ I when you won't let me get one? You won't even let me borrow Amy to go catch my own!" His legs were trembling, but his face remained in a steady, determined glare.

"But you _would_ go into the forest if I gave you one," Allistair pointed out. "You'd go out there and train it and decide to leave, thinking your fucking Patrat or whatever the hell you catch can take on the world. Well, it can't Alex! I traveled Unova with Amy, I even won a few gym badges! And it was _dangerous_."

"Well, then what _should_ I do, dad?" Alex asked. "Just stay in Floccesy my whole life? Never get to do anything except a bunch of odd jobs just to scrape by? You always talk about how you're doing what's best for me and how you're always thinking about me. Well, then why don't I get a say in how to _live my life!?_ "

" _I AM NOT LETTING YOU DIE LIKE ASTRA!"_ The room grew silent. Alistair hadn't meant to say that, it just…came out. Elanor gasped, but Alex was surprisingly calm.

"It's always about her," Alex began. This was normally the point where he would give up and accept his fate. Not this time. "Every time we have this fight, you always bring her up. You just can't…" He struggled to find the words. Even after all these years, his parents kept using his sister's death against him, that sister he couldn't even remember and didn't really feel anything for. After a moment, Alex found his words again. "I'm not afraid like you are, dad." Alistair's face softened, but Alex continued, "I'm not scared of the world! I want to travel…and meet new friends…and find lots of pokemon. I can do it dad, I know I can! Why…why won't you let me…?"

Alex choked on his last sentence; his emotions were getting to him. It was torment holding back the tears, but damned if he was going to let them see him cry right now! To his surprise, his father's face softened and he embraced his son in a tight hug. For a moment, Alex forgot his anger and allowed himself to be comforted by the embrace.

"Oh, son…" Alistair began, softly, gently stroking his child's head. Then he continued, "You think you're ready, but the truth is you're just not. You're not even responsible enough to hold a job, and you want me to let you travel the world?" Alistair paused, holding back his own tears, and continued, "I don't enjoy this, I really don't. But I can't lie to you, not when I know you'll get hurt. Please understand; I love you and I can't lose you like I did your sister. I want you to live your life the way you want to, but I also want you to be safe. Being a pokemon trainer…you just _can't_ do it."

Alex's heart sank. This was what happened the few times he didn't stop when Astra was mentioned. Alex would get overwhelmed emotionally and his father would capitalize on it. Alistair would hold him close, apologize for reminding him of his shortcomings, and use them as the reason he had to be protected, why he had to do as his father said. Alex was smart, and he knew exactly what his father was doing. Yet every time, he'd accept his reasoning, even agree with it…

…but not this time.

Alex quietly pushed himself out of his father's embrace. With only a cold, tearful glare, the young man stormed out of the house and slammed the door behind him.

This had never happened before. Elanor started to follow him, but Alistair stopped her. "He'll be back," he assured her. "He just doesn't understand. Give him a few hours to vent, and he'll come back home."

"…I hate it when you do this to him." Elanor's words were low and hesitant, but grew louder as she found the strength to speak up. "It's not his fault what happened to Astra. It's not her fault either. And most importantly, it's not _your_ fault."

"Elanor…" Alistair started, but surprisingly she held up a hand to silence him.

"Your son's right; you _are_ scared," she said with a stern glare. "So am I, honestly. And you're right too; he isn't ready for the world...but only because we've failed as parents to make him ready."

Before Alistair could respond, Elanor stormed up the stairs and into their bedroom. A slam of the door, and he was left alone in the living room, a prisoner to his thoughts.

* * *

A cold breezed nicked Alex's bare skin and his ankle hurt like hell, but he was too caught up in his thoughts to pay attention to the outside world right now. He wasn't sure which emotion was dominant; he was angry at his father, he was hurt his mother wouldn't stick up for him, and he was upset with his sister. Astra…he couldn't even remember what she looked like. She was practically a stranger. Yet, her passing had affected so much. He wondered, if she was still alive, if maybe his parents wouldn't judge him so harshly. Maybe her guidance would have kept him from making mistakes. Maybe he could have become a trainer and traveled with her…

Alex suddenly realized he was standing at the door to the Pokemon Center. Alex had a passing thought to visit Lucario; evidently, his subconscious acted on it. However, a new fear began to claw at Alex. The Lucario _did_ save him, but at the same time he'd run away from him too. What if the Pokemon didn't like him? What if…

No! Enough with the pity-party- _bullshit!_ Alex shook the thoughts from his head and resolved to enter the Pokemon Center. He would befriend this Lucario, damn it, and _show_ his parents he could be a pokemon trainer!

"Hello, and welcome to the Pokemon Center! We restore your tired pokemon to—" the nurse from earlier stopped mid-sentence as she recognized the young boy in the black vest and blue shirt. "Oh, you're back."

"Yeah, um…hi," Alex said as he waved meekly and was suddenly self-aware of how disheveled he looked. He ignored this realization and continued. "Anyway, I wanted to check up on that Lucario I brought in earlier. You know…just to make sure he's ok."

The nurse noticed just how red his normally bright cyan eyes were, and withheld the urge to ask what happened. "The Lucario…oh yes, he was doing much better actually."

Alex brightened up. "I'm glad to hear it. Is it possible I could see him?"

"Um…" the nurse's hesitation suddenly made Alex nervous. "Well, I would, except he's not… _here_ anymore."

Alex became panicked. "What…? What do you mean he's not here? What happened to him?"

"Well, the thing is he just got up and left," the nurse explained. "I went to check on him, saw he was recovering, and as soon as I turned around he was gone."

"When did he leave? How long ago did this happen?"

"About ten minutes ago," the nurse answered. "I caught a glimpse of him through the window. It seemed like he was heading towards Route 19 and—"

Alex didn't hear the end of her sentence. As soon as she said "ten minutes ago" and "Route 19", he was out the door and sprinting, lame ankle be damned! With a speed he didn't even know he had, Alex ran across the dark roads of Floccesy Town, ignoring the startled cries of random passerby out for a late-night stroll. Soon the outskirts came into view and with them the opening to Route 19.

There was no sign of Lucario. The young man slowly came to a stop and took a huge gasp of air. Free of the adrenaline rush which allowed it to be ignored, his ankle made it known just how displeased it was with all the running it just did.

Alex huffed as he caught his breath. Then, as loud as he could muster, Alex called out to the Aura pokemon. He shouted his name until his voice was raw, and when nothing answered he finally stopped and sank to his knees. Now he truly felt defeated. He never even got to thank Lucario for saving him…

 _Jeez, you're loud!_ Alex blinked. The words…they weren't spoken and seemed to come from his mind…but it definitely wasn't _his_ voice that said them. Alex looked behind him and saw a humanoid canine with blue fur and red eyes…

"Lucario…?" Alex's asked wide-eyed. "You're still here? I thought you'd…wait, was that you talking just then, in my head I mean?"

The small pokemon sauntered to the kneeling human. _Well, I don't see anybody else here, do you?_ Lucario "said" with a shrug. _My species can use Aura to read emotions and project our thoughts. We aren't called the 'Aura' Pokemon for nothing…_ Lucario frowned. _Speaking of which…what happened to you? Your emotions are an even bigger wreck than they were this afternoon._

"Um, yeah, it's a long story…and kind of personal," Alex answered sheepishly. "Sorry, this is kind of a first for me; talking to a Pokemon that is."

 _Glad to have given you a unique life experience,_ Lucario replied dryly. _If you'll excuse me though, I need to get going._

Lucario made to leave, but Alex quickly got up and stood in front of him. "Wait a minute!" he began as the pokemon eyed him warily. "Weren't you sick earlier today? Shouldn't you still be resting at the Pokemon Center?"

 _I appreciate your concern, but I'm fine now,_ Lucario answered shortly. _Don't ask me why, but that just…happens sometimes. I'm normally fine after a day's rest or so. Nothing to do with you chasing me by the way._ Alex blinked, and Lucario pre-emptively answered, _I could feel the guilt when you carried me earlier._ The Lucario then looked abashed, and added, _I…really appreciate you doing that by the way. It probably wasn't necessary, but the concern is touching._

"Well…you saved me," Alex said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "From the Scolipede, I mean. What kind of person would I be if I just left you there?"

The Lucario stared at him thoughtfully. After a moment of awkward silence, the pokemon started to pass Alex. _Well, it was nice to meet you, and I appreciate the help…even if you did chase me half-way through the forest. But I really need to be going now._

Alex started walking with the Lucario. "Do you really have to go so soon?" he asked. "I mean, where are you headed anyway? And what do you mean 'that just happens sometimes?' That's really not normal! Couldn't you—?"

Lucario stopped walking and turned to face the human. With an audible sigh, he projected, _Look, you're nice and all, but I'm not letting you catch me. Sorry, but I have things to do in the next town over. I can tell you are genuinely concerned, but I know why you chased me in the forest._ Alex winced at this, but Lucario continued, _My stopping in the forest to watch you meant nothing. I just felt your emotion and stopped because I was curious, nothing more._

Alex watched somberly as the Aura pokemon walked away. His thoughts turned towards everything that had happened that day: his father's cold greeting at breakfast…his attempts to catch a pokemon…meeting Lucario…the Scolipede and the trip to the Pokemon Center…and finally the fight with his parents.

 _Being a pokemon trainer…you just can't do it._

The words still stung, but it gave Alex a form of strength he'd never felt before. Nobody believed in him. Not his mother, not his father, not even the Lucario that had saved him. Well, enough was enough. If they wouldn't give him a chance to prove himself, then he was just going to make his own!

"Hey, Lucario!" The Aura pokemon stopped, slightly exasperated, but patiently waiting. Alex ran to catch up with him again and continued, "Listen, earlier when you asked what happened to me…well, I got into a fight with my parents. It was…kind of a fight we've had before. I want to become a pokemon trainer and travel Unova, but my father won't let me because my sister died during her journey."

Lucario's face softened. _I'm sorry to hear that,_ he projected. _Still though, I'm not sure what that has to do with me._

"Well, you're traveling to the next town over, right?" Alex asked. "I was thinking that maybe I could come with you. I don't have a Pokemon yet and you could watch my back until I get one. In exchange, I could keep you company, and other trainers wouldn't think you're wild and try to catch you. What do you say?"

Red eyes stared at Alex with an uncomfortable intensity. Finally, after a long silence, the Aura pokemon's expression softened. _Alright then, you can come with me,_ the Lucario projected. _We'll travel a few miles into the route and then find somewhere to sleep for the night. We'll resume in the morning and hike straight to Aspertia City. Think you can handle it?_

A broad smile stretched across the blonde-haired teenager's face. "Definitely!" he answered. "Thank you Lucario, I promise not to slow you down."

 _Don't kid yourself,_ Lucario replied with a smirk, pointing to Alex's ankle brace. _I appreciate the enthusiasm, but let's be practical here. Luckily for you, I'm in no great hurry. By the way…I don't think I ever got your name?_

The blond grinned. "Alexander Andrite, but just call me Alex. It's nice to meet you."

Alex held out his hand, and Lucario shook it. _Well then Alex, if you're ready, we'll be going._ With the terms of their mutual pact established, human and pokemon set off into the night. Alex smiled. Technically he wasn't a trainer and this wasn't his pokemon, but his journey had started nonetheless. For once in his life, he looked forward to what was to come.

 **Author's Note:** Oh dear, just what have I started…?

Just to clarify a few things, this is predominantly set in the videogame world, but may take small cues from the anime or manga where I feel appropriate. The setting is set two years after the end of Black2/White2, and assumes that Black/White's and Black2/White2's stories took a year each to conclude.

Please let me know what you think. I'd especially like to know what you thought of the pacing and the characters, because I had a hell of a time trying to make sure everyone's motives were believable. The premise of this story isn't too original (boy gets pokemanz and goes on journey—wat a tweest!), but I aim to balance that with good characters and some subtle changes to the formula (the fact Alex's "starter" technically doesn't belong to him, for example). I'd like to know how well I'm accomplishing those goals.

Other than that, I hope you enjoy the story. Until next time!

EDIT (6/27/15): Minor corrections to the chapter, some changes in syntax to make it read a little better, and some changes in the author's note. Also, obligatory disclaimer is obligatory. Still working on the second chapter.

EDIT (7/01/2015): Ok, more minor edits and grammar corrections. I don't like the beginning paragraphs very much and keep trying to figure out ways to change them. Bah, I've never been good at openings. Oh, and more tweaks to the chapter because why not?

EDIT (7/09/2015): I couldn't help it. The opening half of this story was _really_ bugging me, so I rewrote it into something I felt was more interesting. The overall _content_ is the same, just worded differently…well, aside from the extra scene where the Andrites get the bad news about Astra. This is the last time I will edit this chapter (for a while at least). Damn do I hate writing openings…


	2. Having Regrets

**Chapter 2: Having Regrets**

* * *

Normally, it only took about a day to travel Route 19. The reason Alex and Lucario weren't already in Aspertia City was because they stopped to sleep by a river half-way through the night. Well, that, and Alex's ankle was beginning to bother him. He reasoned that a nice long rest would do him some good and he'd be ready to go by morning.

Naturally, Alex awoke to a pain burning with the intensity of a thousand suns.

Lucario, up to this point comfortably curled up under the shade of a tree, groggily opened one eye to examine his blonde-haired tagalong. By now Alex had taken his brace off the swollen appendage and chose to cope with the considerable pain by loudly moaning and muttering incoherent babble. With a mental sigh, the blue-furred pokemon got up and lumbered over to help the hapless human.

Alex stopped babbling when he noticed Lucario next to him. "Um, morning Lucario," he said. "I didn't wake you up, did I? Because if I did, I'm really sorry and didn't mean to, it's just that my ankle really hurts and I don't know what to do about it because it's driving me crazy and—"

Lucario held up a paw for silence. Then he looked at the boy's ankle and winced. It was a deep red and swollen to the point you couldn't really tell where leg transitioned into foot. Lucario contemplated what to do for a moment before an idea came to him _. Hold still and let me try something…_

Lucario sat down beside Alex and placed a light blue-glowing paw on the injury. Alex winced as an icy sensation burned against his skin. Eventually the swelling went away and Alex noticed that his ankle didn't really hurt anymore.

 _Ice Punch,_ Lucario explained. _It should take care of the swelling for now. Let me know if it starts hurting again and I can ice it some more._

Alex rolled his ankle experimentally. It hurt like hell, but the icy touch numbed it to a relatively comfortable level. "Thanks. Now I feel embarrassed…that's twice you've helped me out of something that was my own fault."

 _You're welcome_ , Lucario replied. He got up and started towards the forest. _I'm going to go find some berries to eat. Do you want me to try and find some for you?_

It then occurred to Alex he hadn't brought any supplies with him. Somewhat meekly, he answered yes and thanked Lucario again, who ran off to scrounge for food. Alex soon shifted his attention back to his foot and then to the decisions he made last night.

No supplies, hiking on a sprained ankle…not to mention he didn't have any money. It was slowly dawning on him that running away last night was a terrible decision. But if he turned back now, his father would probably never let him out of sight again. To give up now was to admit Alistair was right, and there was no way in hell he would do that. At the very least, Alex decided he would make it to Aspertia figure everything else out later. Besides, he had Lucario to help him fight a few trainers, get some money, buy a few Pokeballs and…

…and Alex realized he was being horribly selfish. He'd already slowed Lucario down by coming with him on his trip to Aspertia, not to mention the thing with the Scolipede. To keep asking for favors after he'd been extremely kind—and extremely patient—wasn't fair. Lucario…there was a lot Alex didn't know about him. The chronic fevers, his traveling across Unova, even the fact he was a wild pokemon—now that he thought about it, he'd never heard of a "wild Lucario" in Unova or any region. Maybe he wasn't always wild? That would explain a few things, like why he talked to humans and how he knew Ice Punch…

By this point, Lucario was back and brought Alex out of his musings by unceremoniously dumping a mix of Oran and Sitrus berries onto the ground. With an over-exaggerated gesture, he motioned towards the pile and invited his companion to dig in. The two ate their fill in silence, Lucario iced Alex's ankle again, and then they set off towards Aspertia City.

In contrast to the cliff-filled Route 20, Route 19 was a flat and relatively straight path of grass and forest. The beginnings of the autumn chill made the air cool and crisp, but warm rays of sunlight descending from a cloudless sky balanced it out. Needless to say, it was a gorgeous day to travel.

For a long while, the pair walked in silence. It made Alex uncomfortable, but seemed to suit Lucario just fine. Alex recalled his questions and decided a little small talk wouldn't hurt. "So, Lucario, how long have you been having those fevers? Do you know what causes them?"

The blue jackal, previously lost in thought, regarded Alex coolly for a moment before projecting, _It's been happening to me for about a year now, typically once a month or so. As for the cause…I don't really know. Weak constitution I suppose…_ That last thought had a bitter tone to it, and Lucario's expression matched. _I don't really worry about it much, so you shouldn't either. It is what it is._

Alex shrugged. "I just find it weird, that's all. It's not really normal for anybody—person or pokemon—to get sick all the time." He paused for a moment and pressed on with another question, "Were you always a wild pokemon? I don't know much about the ones not native to Unova, but I don't think I've ever heard of Lucario roaming around in the wild."

Lucario raised a brow. _You can be awfully nosy, you know that?_

Alex held up his hands defensively. "I don't mean anything by it, I swear! It's just, well, again you're a Lucario, and you don't seem to mind humans, and you know a move I don't think Lucario learn naturally and…"

Lucario rolled his eyes with a small smile. _Fair enough,_ he projected. _You're right though, I wasn't always a wild pokemon. It's actually part of the reason I'm headed to Aspertia City in the first place._

Alex crooked his head to the side. "What do you mean by that? That's actually what I wanted to ask next."

Lucario chuckled lightly. _Of course you did. The reason I'm heading to Aspertia City is because I'm trying to find my trainer._

Alex did a double-take. "Wait, your _trainer_? That means…but you said…why is your trainer letting you travel by yourself?"

A deep, sad sigh escaped the Aura pokemon. _We were…separated, a long time ago, three years after he hatched me. He was travelling Unova preparing a team to challenge the gyms, so I never actually got to see where he lived, but I remember him telling me it was in Aspertia. I didn't know how to get there until recently, and I'm hoping he still lives there._

Alex mulled over that minor revelation for a moment. "So when you told me you wouldn't let me catch you…what you meant was I _couldn't_ catch you, because you already belong to another trainer?"

 _Yes and no,_ Lucario replied. _Technically, I_ could _be caught right now; my pokeball was destroyed. Like I said though, it's a long story and I don't really want to go into the details._

Alex caught the unease in Lucario's mental voice and agreed not to press the issue. He remembered hearing about an organization called Team Plasma and their efforts to "liberate" pokemon from humans. It sounded like Lucario and his trainer were victims, and if that was the case they really _had_ been separated for a very long time.

Alex asked no more questions and chose to somberly reflect on this revelation. He'd already accepted the fact Lucario wasn't his pokemon and didn't wish to be caught, a wish he intended to respect. Why did knowing he had a trainer make him so…upset?

Lucario naturally felt his emotion and regarded the boy worriedly. _Alex, what's wrong now?_

Before Alex could answer, something small and purple jumped on his head. It messed up his hair before jumping onto Lucario, who flailed helplessly to try and pull whatever-it-was off of him. Finally, black paws found a grip and flung the attacker away from the duo, who took the opportunity to gather their wits and examine their unusual adversary.

Bright green eyes, purple fur, cream-colored muzzle, chest, and back, a vaguely scythe-shaped tail attached to a distinctly feline body: to their surprise, the assailant was a Purrloin.

Surprised and confused weren't really good enough words to describe how Alex felt right now. "What's…going on exactly?" he asked, even though he didn't really expect an answer.

Lucario was equally confused. Currently Purrloin was making weird gestures with its paws, taunting them in a language only pokemon could understand. _I'm…not sure…_ he admitted. _He…er,_ she _rather, appears to be making fun of us._ _I think she might think you're a trainer and wants to battle._

Purrloin continued mocking them and launched into a long tirade of meows and growls. Naturally Alex understood none of it, but Lucario became increasingly angry with each syllable uttered. _Hey, it's not my fault my species' sexes both look the same!_ Lucario argued indignantly. _And you leave my mother out of this!_

Purrloin responded by coyly meowing something involving Lucario's mother, cheap motels, the police department, a couple of Garbodors, public indecency laws, and a Ditto. Lucario snarled at the small feline. Fists glowing with blue Aura, Lucario rushed to deliver the strongest Force Palm he could muster. He struck the Purrloin dead-on and promptly phased through what he realized to be the afterimage of a Double-Team. Lucario barely noticed the real Purrloin, wreathed in a blue glow, close in from behind with her paw drawn back in a very familiar manner…

 _Thwack! Boom!_ Lucario was hit by Purrloin's own Force Palm and sent flying a few feet away.

… _what?_ Lucario picked himself up and regarded his opponent more warily than before. Purrloin responded by creating more Double-Team clones, taunting her opponent as her illusionary copies encircled the Aura pokemon.

Lucario closed his eyes and focused. He used his ability to sense aura to pick out the real Purrloin from her clones. With a loud roar, Lucario jumped into the air and prepared to deliver a high flying jump-kick to finish his opponent.

Purrloin promptly leapt to the side, and Lucario landed with a slight crash into the dirt. Then, before he could reorient himself, the purple feline delivered a kick of her own and sent Lucario stumbling away.

"Lucario, I think she's using Copycat!" Alex yelled above the chaos. "I read about it before—it lets the user copy the last move they saw in a battle for a short period of time."

A small growl escaped the blue jackal's throat. It explained why, despite the feline's low strength, her blows had hurt; his steel sub-typing ironically left him vulnerable to fighting attacks. An idea came to him and he rushed Purrloin, fists coated in aura to deliver another Force Palm. Purrloin naturally dodged and began to use Copycat again, but Lucario skidded to a stop and switched attacks. He launched forward in a burst of speed and nailed Purrloin with a steel-coated fist before she could react. Not only did it deal a good chunk of damage, but it disrupted her Copycat and left her vulnerable.

The Bullet Punch sent Purrloin sprawling a few feet away. Before she could recover, Lucario ran up to her and punted as hard as he could. Purrloin flew across the air and landed somewhere in the bushes, soundly beaten and most likely fainted. Alex and Lucario let out a sigh. They were glad to be rid of their mischievous challenger.

"Well, that was…different," Alex said politely. "I never thought I'd see a Purrloin fight a Lucario and actually hold their own."

 _We never speak of this again,_ Lucario growled quickly. _Seriously, you ever mention this to_ anyone _, and I'll feed you to an entire swarm of Scolipedes!_

Alex couldn't help but snicker. "What's the matter?" he asked mockingly. "The big bad doggy couldn't handle the killer kitty?"

 _First, I'm a jackal,_ Lucario began indignantly. _Second, shut up before I give you a_ real _reason to be limping around._

Alex started laughing, and try as he might Lucario couldn't help himself and joined him. As their laughter died down, they noticed for the first time the group of buildings just over the horizon. Not too far ahead was a gate house, surrounded by white fencing and flowers, that guarded the entrance to a small suburbia.

"Aspertia City," Alex said. "We…we made it!"

 _So we did,_ Lucario confirmed. For a moment, both human and pokemon stood looking at the city before them. After what seemed an eternity, Lucario spoke again, _There should be a Pokemon Center close by. I'm not really that hurt, but I wouldn't mind a rest._

Alex absentmindedly nodded. The pair made the rest of the trip in silence and soon found themselves at the gate house entrance. A few minutes later and they'd taken their first steps onto the paved roads of Unova's south-western-most settlement.

* * *

If you asked a native to describe Aspertia in one word, it would probably be "balanced." While not as small or rural as Floccesy, it was a modest town with modest assets. Brick roads and small sidewalks gave it a sense of antiquity, but the architecture was distinctly modern. There were restaurants and parks and other big-city conveniences, but without the skyscrapers or crowded streets. Most notable was a lookout at the top of a large hill. Alex remembered a rumor that the Unova League's last champion was a boy from this city, and that he'd received his starter at the top of that hill three years ago. Probably just something somebody made up, but it was a nice thought.

Sightseeing would have to wait. Human and pokemon made a beeline for the Pokemon Center, easily distinguished from the other grey buildings by its white walls and red roof. They entered, were greeted by a nurse in typical fashion, and settled into the lobby. Lucario was taken to the back and Alex sat in a corner with his leg propped on a chair, ankle brace off and a large bag of ice plopped on top. The Aura pokemon returned shortly, noticeably chipper than before.

"You look better," Alex commented as the blue jackal sat on a chair beside him. He took a glance at his ankle and laughed. "Wish they could do the same for me though."

 _Why is it that they can't anyway?_ Lucario asked. _I've never really understood how that works._

Alex shrugged. "I dunno. It probably has something to do with the fact you guys can spit lightning or fire or whatever. I never really thought too much about it." Both were silent for a bit before Alex broke it by asking, "So how are you going to find your trainer? Aspertia's not a huge city, but it's a lot of ground for one pokemon to cover."

Lucario's face scrunched up. _I…hadn't really thought that far ahead_ , he admitted. _I suppose I'll just ask around until I find somebody that knows him. In a city this small, he shouldn't be_ too _hard to find_. The Aura pokemon looked thoughtful for a moment before asking, _Now that you're in Aspertia, what are you going to do?_

Now it was Alex's turn to look contemplative. "I hadn't really thought that far ahead either…the more I think about it, the more I realize I hadn't thought about it at all." The teenager sighed and continued, "I kind of made a snap-decision last night, and honestly I'm starting to regret it." Alex didn't add he was starting to think his father was right about him, and that he was too rash and impulsive to make it as a pokemon trainer. "Just another mistake I suppose…just like all the others."

Lucario squirmed in his seat. He didn't exactly mind having the blonde-haired teenager tag along, but he agreed that his acquaintance had a tendency to make rather poor decisions. Choosing the most diplomatic response he could think of, he projected, _Whatever you decide to do, I'm sure it will work out in the end. Thanks for the company, but I think I'll be going._

Alex grimaced for a moment, but forced it away with a smile. He knew this moment was coming, where Lucario would leave and go find his real trainer and Alex would be left alone to figure things out for himself. "Tell your trainer I said hi when you find him. And thanks for putting up with me; I know you kind of got the short stick in our little 'deal,' and I'm sorry about that." Lucario smiled and told him it was fine. With one last goodbye, Alex watched as the pokemon he met on Route 20 left the building and vanished into the streets.

Alone and without other distractions, his thoughts became mutinous. Stupid, stupid, _stupid_! Leaving home without money, without food, without even a spare change of clothes to go hiking to Aspertia on a _sprained ankle?_ Alex grabbed his hair and pulled; it was a force of habit developed from mentally beating himself up like this. And then there was Lucario; he'd completely weighed him down, and if not for his good-natured patience Alex would have been screwed several times over. Weighed him down…dead weight, that's all he was.

Alex groaned and leaned his head against the wall, staring upward at the ceiling, and closed his eyes. The Pokemon Center had rooms they loaned to trainers; maybe with a little luck he could convince them to let him use one. But what then? He could spend the night, rest up his ankle, and probably make it back to Floccesy by noon tomorrow…but that left him facing the same problem he'd been contemplating all day. To go back home now was to admit his father was right about him. Maybe his father _was_ right though, and Alex was just being stubborn. However, he knew that if he had his way Alistair would never give him another chance or even try to teach him _how_ to be a pokemon trainer. Trial by fire; it was the only way he could learn. He just never realized how badly the flames would burn.

Hours passed during Alex's brooding. During that time, a tall man entered the Pokemon Center and talked to the nurse for a bit. He eventually noticed Alex sitting in the corner and approached, his long shadow creeping across the boy's body unnoticed. He wore a white lab-trench coat hybrid unbuttoned at the chest and waist, a black shirt with blue trim, black pants and shoes, and a pair of white gloves. His blonde hair was very short, save a single strip dyed blue and styled to wrap around his head like a metal screw. Golden eyes peered from behind sleek square glasses and a gentle—yet somehow unnerving—smile dominated his face.

Alex opened his eyes and regarded the stranger warily. "Um…can I help you sir?" he asked.

"My apologies if I startled you," the man began. His voice was quiet and even in tone, but endearing in its friendliness. The man radiated affability, and Alex felt his nervous suspicions drift away. "I know it seems rather nosy of me, but I just happened to notice your injury and was stricken with curiosity. I'm a scientist you see, and I'm afraid it's hard to resist my nature."

Alex smiled and assured him it was fine. He started from the beginning and told the man everything that happened. His desire to become a trainer, his father's refusal, meeting a Lucario, running away…it was therapeutic to vent like this. All the while, the man absorbed everything, especially when Alex talked about Lucario. He asked if the man knew Lucario somehow, and was assured he was just fascinated that a Lucario was running around by itself.

"That's quite the tale young man," the golden-eyed scientist began. "Forgive me, you practically shared your life story and I've yet introduced myself. My name is Colress." Colress offered a gloved hand to the wispy-haired youth, who accepted it with a firm handshake.

"Alexander Andrite. Nice to meet you." Their hands parted and Alex continued, "So, what do you think I should do? If I go back home now, I'd basically have to run away again or wait until I move out. Although at this point, I'm beginning to wonder if my parents would even let me move…"

A bemused smile crept across Colress' face. "Young man, just how badly do you actually want to be a trainer?"

Alex considered the question. "All of my friends left years ago to start their journeys. Everyone I know has their own pokemon and gets along with them. They don't all want to become champion or even win badges, but either way they get to have these really cool adventures while I'm stuck in Floccesy trying to find something I'm good at that my father approves of."

Colress nodded understandingly. "It sounds to me less that you want to become a trainer and more you want the _freedom_ being one affords—the freedom to find your place in the world." Colress allowed a pause for his words to sink in, and his ever-present smile widened when he saw that they did. "There are people in this world that feel mankind should know its limitations, that we should play it safe and never venture into the unknown. _I disagree!_ " His declaration was punctuated by a thematic swooping of his arm before he continued, "The only way we grow is to push ourselves beyond our limits. Sometimes, it's at great cost…but I'd like to think the results are worth it."

Alex didn't entirely understand what he meant. "So wait, are you telling me you think I've got what it takes or that I don't? I'm a little confused here."

Colress surprised him by laughing. "Dear boy, you've missed my point entirely!" he cried with great mirth and then paused to adjust his glasses. "I'll be blunt; no, I don't think you have what it takes. Your decision to run away was rather half-baked, and the fact you're debating whether or not to remain out on the streets with no way of providing for yourself means you're either naïve, stubborn, foolish, or all the above. You would likely starve yourself if you began a journey-proper right now." Alex winced, but Colress paid him no mind. "However, that's you _right now_. The you of today is not the same man as the you of tomorrow, no more than an adult is the same person they were as a toddler. If you never venture from your comfort zone you'll never grow as a person, and the fact your father failed to teach you this makes him the greatest fool of all."

The light hit Colress' glasses at just the right angle to make it appear as if they were glowing. It was a little intimidating. "I dream of a world where mankind brings out the full strength of pokemon. To do that, we must be willing to bring out the strength in ourselves. If you crave that strength—either to obtain the freedom you desire or to prove your own worth as a person—then I suggest you find Aspertia's gym leader and challenge him for his badge."

Alex actually balked at that last suggestion. "Are you sure you're not a _mad_ scientist? I don't even have a pokemon to challenge him _with!_ How do you expect me to win a badge?"

Colress chuckled. "My, my, your father has done his level best to keep you in the dark. Tell me, how old are you exactly? Sixteen? Seventeen?" Alex answered the former, and Colress' cocky smile broadened. "I thought so. There's a law in Unova for people in your predicament. Anyone above the age of sixteen can challenge a gym leader to earn a trainer's license as well as the gym badge. The idea is if you can defeat a gym leader, you have what it takes to raise pokemon and the exams would be redundant. The battles are typically harder than what would be issued to trainers without badges, but such is the system of checks and balances. I've heard a great deal of good things about Aspertia's leader Cheren. His gym also doubles as a school, and I have no doubt he'd be willing to teach you anything you might be lacking before you challenge him—I suspect he'd even rent you a pokemon for the battle." Colress reached into his pocket, fiddled in it for a moment, and pulled out a wad of money. "Here, take it," he said as he offered it, "I have plenty to spare, and it sounds as if you need it much more than I do."

Alex stared at the outstretched gift, but didn't accept. "That's really generous of you. But I've got to ask, why me?"

Colress chuckled, a response Alex was beginning to become accustomed to. "Consider it an investment, or even an experiment. When I first approached you, I was bored and mildly curious. But I've met a lot of trainers in my time, and the best of them always had one thing in common: _determination_. I can see it in your eyes Alexander Andrite, that burning desire to accomplish your goals, no matter the cost. Granted, your desires are not typical, but that's what makes things interesting."

For a moment, Alex was conflicted. He wanted to decline it, so tired he was of feeling like a drain on everyone else. However, he remembered Colress' words and realized the man would likely berate him for his foolishness should he turn down his offer. He wanted to take Colress' lesson to heart and make himself more independent…but for now, he'd have to accept Colress' _other_ lesson; he wasn't ready yet, and it would take work before he was ready. For now he needed to rely on pragmatism. "Thank you," he said as he accepted the money, "for…well, _everything_ just then. I promise I'll make it count."

"I'm sure you will." His smile never faltering, the quirky scientist turned and started for the door. "Take care Alexander. I _do_ hope that our paths cross again." In the blink of an eye, Colress was gone and Alex was left to his thoughts.

What were his thoughts? Colress had a… _interesting_ way of inspiring people. He did have a point though. Alex wasn't ready. It hurt to admit it, but he was foolish and naïve and not very good at avoiding stupid decisions. Colress didn't believe he was ready to be a trainer, but he did believe he could _be_ ready. It wasn't full confidence in him, but it was comforting all the same.

Self-confidence boosted and consumed with determination, Alex stood up and asked the nurse for directions to the gym. He left the Pokemon Center with renewed purpose; for once he actually had a plan. Go talk to Cheren, challenge him to a gym battle, and win his trainer's license. Colress' money meant he could stay a few nights at the Pokemon Center and try again should he fail. There would be no more waiting for his father's approval; he would take back his life and carve his own path!

It was late into the afternoon when he found the gym, a large stone building with orange tiled roofing that loomed over him. Despite his excitement, Alex hesitated. The odds were very much stacked against him. He had to impress Cheren enough to allow a gym battle, find a pokemon for said gym battle, and then actually _win_ it. There were a lot of different ways for him to mess up, and although he knew he shouldn't be afraid of failure he still was. This was important to him. Slowly, Alex reached for the handle, swallowed his nerves, and opened the door.

He didn't expect to immediately find Cheren. Really, he shouldn't have known what Cheren looked like to know he'd found him; Alex hadn't been to Aspertia since he was a child, and Cheren was a relatively new gym leader. One look at the tall young man with perfectly pressed white shirt, polished shoes, and bright red tie and somehow Alex knew it was Aspertia City's gym leader. Dark hair at shoulder's length covered the man's head, and dark blue eyes fixated on the blond teenager. That wasn't what _really_ caught Alex's attention; what was more surprising was _who_ Cheren was talking to. Blue fur, a cream torso, and fierce red eyes on a distinctly jackal-like head…

He did a double-take. " _Lucario!?_ " Alex cried. "What are _you_ doing here!?"

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Well, that was fun. Alex has made a few tactical errors in his earnest to show his old man what's what and is starting to realize it. Maybe old man Alistair had a point…

Fun fact: Alex was originally meant to recover from his injury over the course of weeks while taking care of sick!Lucario. I decided the first chapter dragged on long enough as it was, and chose to develop their friendship via other ways. But then I realized late into writing the first chapter that, well…Alex is walking and running around on a sprained ankle. Sure, the brace should help, but really he needs to rest and let it heal. Expect some sort of training montage come Vibrank so that he has time "off screen" to rest up so I'm not plagued by that damned injury the entire story. Who knows though, maybe walking on it for so long will have long-reaching consequences in the future. ;)

Another fun-fact: I didn't know Purrloin walked on their hind legs before I started this fanfic. I stopped watching the main-series anime when I was…what, _thirteen_ , I think? Because I never had one in Pokemon Y, all I had to go by were the battle sprites from Gen V—which had Purrloin sitting on all fours like normal friggin' cats. I still wouldn't have known if I hadn't gone to Bulbapedia to do some fact-checking. It kind of forced me to adjust how Purrloin moved around during the battle. Eh, oh well…

Next chapter, fighty time, fighty time, fun, fun, fun…!


	3. Better Understanding

**Author's Note:** For anyone returning to this fic (all four or so of you), I edited the beginning of the first chapter to start when the Andrites receive the bad news about Astra. Also, because I kept screwing up the math, just an FYI that Astra died ten years ago, but started her journey _thirteen_ years ago. My bad for not being able to math good. New readers, just move along.

* * *

 **Chapter 3: Better Understanding**

* * *

Both gym leader and pokemon alike blinked at the outburst. "Pardon, but does this Lucario belong to you? I'm afraid he's been here for the past hour demanding a gym battle, and I've been trying to explain why I can't give it to him. It's becoming quite the bother."

Alex's confusion was palpable. "Gym battle? Why would…never mind. To answer your question, no, he's not mine. It's kind of a long story, but the main point is we met on Route 20 and he's looking for his trainer."

Cheren curiously eyed the newcomer. "That's rather kind of you, helping a fellow trainer like that. I assume you're here to challenge me for a badge as well?"

He reached up and nervously scratched behind his head. "See, that's _half_ true," Alex began with a chuckle. "I'm not a trainer, but I _do_ want to challenge you for a badge."

Cheren blinked, but quickly realized what he meant. "I see then. You're choosing to earn your trainer's license by challenge. I'm surprised you even know about that law. _I_ didn't even know about it before I became a gym leader." The young gym leader—only a few years older than himself, Alex realized—offered his hand to his new acquaintance. "Cheren Shiro. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Alexander Andrite," he said as he returned the handshake. "I didn't know about it until this guy at the Pokemon Center told me. He said you were really good about getting trainers started out and—"

Lucario interrupted him and barked something at Cheren. One look at Alex's confused face, and the dark-haired gym leader frowned and said, "It's rather rude to talk about someone when they can't understand you. Why don't you repeat yourself so that _both_ of us can hear?"

Lucario groaned, but did as he was asked. _As I said,_ Lucario projected rather indignantly, _I've been here for an hour now trying to get you to fight me, and you're going to just accept his challenge as soon as he walks in the door? He doesn't even have a pokemon!_ Lucario glanced at Alex and added, _No offense though._

Alex didn't really know what to make of that. "None taken…? I think?"

An exasperated sigh escaped the dark-haired gym leader. "I've already explained it to you before, you _can't_ earn gym badges. If you really want I'll fight you, but even if you somehow beat me I couldn't give you a gym badge because _you're not a trainer._ Hell, you're not even human—how did I end up arguing rules and regulations with a pokemon!? This is just absurd…"

 _He's not a trainer either though!_ Lucario protested.

Cheren groaned. "No, he isn't apparently. However, he _is_ human and can challenge me for his license, as I said a moment ago. Unless you intend to become a trainer," Lucario started to speak, " _which you can't_ _do because you're a pokemon_ , by the way," Lucario's stopped, "I _can't_ give you a badge. End of story."

This was too bizarre for Alex to handle. Determined to steer the conversation towards something relatively normal, he asked the obvious, "Why don't you just have your trainer challenge the gym with you Lucario? If you really want to fight Cheren that badly, surely he wouldn't mind—"

 _He's not here,_ Lucario interrupted. _I spent a couple of hours asking around and found his house. His mother is still there, but apparently he moved to Nimbassa several months ago. The last she heard from him, he'd already won several badges…_ That fact seemed to displease the Aura pokemon, and Alex had no idea why. Before he could ask, Lucario continued, _I'm going to travel to Nimbassa, but I want to earn some badges along the way. That's all there is to it._

Before Alex could object and ask one of his _many_ questions, Cheren interrupted them with a loud cough. "I think I see a solution here," he began. " _You_ need a pokemon to fight with," he motioned to Alex, "and _you_ want a gym badge…for _some_ reason," he pointed to Lucario. "Why don't the two of you work together? Alex, it would test how well you can work with and befriend a new pokemon. Lucario, you still wouldn't have the badge, but your trainer can call Alex and he can vouch for you that you won it. That _is_ why you want it right, to show to your trainer?"

Lucario nodded, placated by the arrangement. Alex was still confused— _why_ did Lucario need to show a badge to his trainer?—but sat aside his curiosity. He had a badge to win, and the fact he already knew a lot of Lucario's moves was a big help. "That works for me. When can we start?"

Cheren smiled, partly because he was relieved to get this Lucario off his back, but mostly because of the teenager's enthusiasm. "Luckily for you, I don't have any other challenges scheduled today. I'd like to ask you a few questions to make sure you understand the basics, and then we can head into the courtyard in the back and have our match there. Now, if you'll follow me…"

The party of three left the reception area and entered a long hallway with lots of doors on both sides. Alex peered inside each room and saw rows of desks, large whiteboards at the front, and the occasional projector hanging from the ceiling. "Whoa, it's like a school in here," Alex observed.

"Correct," Cheren replied with a proud grin. "A trainer and his pokemon have to be in peak physical condition, but none of that without strategy. Knowledge is power; never forget that." The conversation shifted and Cheren began asking Alex questions. What were the eighteen known pokemon types? What were their strengths, weaknesses, and immunities? What types was a Lucario, and how does his dual-typing compensate or compound his weaknesses? And so on. Alex answered swiftly, and got _most_ of the questions right (How was he to know steel types didn't resist dark!? He could have sworn he read somewhere that they did…). They reached the end of the hallway just as Alex answered his last question. Satisfied, Cheren announced he would accept Alex's challenge and pushed open a set of doors.

They opened to reveal a large dirt battlefield defined by worn-looking white chalk. On either side was a small podium, one for the challenger, the other for Cheren, from which trainers could send out and recall pokemon while keeping an eye on their opponent. A few gym-goers sat in the bleachers, stragglers from the crowds that came to watch gym battles all day. It was sparse and modest and devoid of tricks. In short, perfect for two trainers to go all-out, nothing but the strength of their pokemon and their wits to pull them through.

Alex could barely contain his excitement. Here he was, out on the battlefield and ready to take on a _gym leader!_ If he was paying attention, he would have noticed Lucario beside him, tense and nervous, occasionally taking a deep breath to calm himself.

"Before we begin Alex," Cheren said, commanding his challengers' attention, "I have one final question for you." The blonde-haired teenager leaned his head to the side as Cheren continued, "You obviously understand pokemon very well, at the very least the species that live in Unova. If you took the written exam, I have no doubt you'd pass easily. Why bother challenging me and going through all this trouble?"

Alex sighed and for the second time that day explained his problem. As expected, Cheren absorbed everything, and promptly quipped that walking on a sprained ankle, let alone _running across a city_ , before leaving home in the dead of night was not the brightest of moves. Lucario already knew Alex's father didn't want him to be a trainer, but when Alex explained the reason _why_ he wanted it so badly the Aura pokemon became more somber. His story finished, he watched the dark-haired gym leader contemplate his answer.

"You know, I have a friend who went through the same thing," Cheren began. "Her name is Bianca. Her dad was convinced she couldn't handle herself or a pokemon and was determined to keep her home for as long as possible."

Curiosity piqued, Alex asked, "Really? What did she do? Did her father let her leave?"

"Goodness no," Cheren answered with a chuckle. "She basically had to run away from home. Luckily for her, Professor Juniper had already taken care of the issue of a trainer's license. It helps to have friends in high places I suppose."

Alex nodded. He of course knew about Professor Juniper, Unova's most famous pokemon researcher. After a pause, he asked, "So, did everything work out? Between your friend and her father I mean?"

Cheren smiled. "Eventually. It took Elsa's intervention in Nimbassa, but after a long argument he finally accepted that she had to go be her own person. When she first started off, she was timid and flighty. Now she's one of Professor Juniper's assistants, and it's amazing how much going on that adventure changed her..." He looked wistful for a moment, but then placed a hand on Alex's shoulder and looked directly into his eyes. "My point for telling you this is don't be afraid to chase your dreams. As a gym leader I won't go easy on you today, and frankly if I did it would be a great disservice to you. No matter what happens, _don't_ give up. Understood?"

Alex hesitantly nodded. "I understand."

A quick smile flashed across Cheren's face, and then he started towards his podium. The referee noticed the gym leader and challenger and quickly scrambled to the center of the outside boundary. Alex took his position at the other podium, and Lucario stepped inside the chalk outline and readied himself for whatever Cheren sent out.

"This will be a one-on-one battle," Cheren explained as he unclipped a pokeball from his belt. "The match will continue until either one side is unable to battle or until forfeit. Given the nature of this particular challenge, the normal rules regarding number of badges and difficulty will be suspended and the gym leader shall use whatever pokemon he sees fit. Do you, the challenger, understand the terms of this match and accept them?"

Alex looked to Lucario, growling and crouched into a fighting stance. "I do," he answered with finality.

"Good." Cheren's smile turned into a determined scowl, and with a roar he sent out his first pokemon, "Alright Stoutland, show him what it means to be a pokemon trainer!"

The red-and-white ball opened, and light exploded from the container. It took the shape of something large and hairy, with four legs and a thick tail. Its fur was different shades of tan and blue, and a thick mustache dominated its canine face. In an instant, the Stoutland identified his opponent and issued a loud, defiant growl and crouched in wait for its trainer's orders.

"Normal type huh?" Alex muttered to himself. "Ok then…Lucario, let's start this off with—!"

Before he could complete the order, Lucario launched himself at the terrier, fast as a bullet and fists coated in steel. The large terrier rolled to the side, deflecting the brunt of Lucario's Bullet Punch, before slamming into the blue jackal was all his weight. It knocked him backwards, but otherwise didn't faze him, and he switched attacks and went for a Force Palm instead.

"Stoutland, dive into the dirt!" The terrier obeyed Cheren's command and dove below ground, just in time to dodge Lucario's swing. Lucario looked for a sign of his opponent's movements, but the earth remained completely still. He closed his eyes to use aura-sight, and promptly dodged as 135 pounds of terrier exploded from the ground.

Alex was starting to panic. Lucario would be able to sense each attack, but eventually he'd tire and Stoutland's Dig would do huge damage to the steel type. Lucario weren't known for their endurance, but if Stoutland was robbed of his super-effective move that same steel typing would let him tank the blows from the terrier's other attacks. "Lucario, stay as close as you can! Don't let Stoutland use Dig!"

Rather than just close the distance, Lucario choose to attack with a Hi Jump Kick. Stoutland promptly dove underground, dodging the attack and allowing Lucario to land painfully several yards away. Before he could get up, Stoutland emerged from beneath and hit him dead-on with an explosion of rock and dirt.

Alex cursed under his breath. Why… _why_ wouldn't Lucario listen to him!? The blue jackal landed with a thud, and the giant terrier stood afar admiring his work. Alex noticed Cheren staring at him from across the arena. He seemed…disappointed? Was he disappointed with _him_? It wasn't his fault Lucario wouldn't obey his comm—!

Of course. Alex wasn't his trainer, and Lucario didn't respect him. He recalled their conversation in the Pokemon Center and how he'd listed off all the ways he'd burdened the Aura pokemon. Lucario had been too polite to say anything at the time, but it was clear now he agreed and thought worse of Alex for it. The blonde-haired teenager was frustrated with Lucario, but he was frustrated even more with himself. Just another mistake, just another way he was a screw up…

 _No!_ He would _not_ give up! He grit his teeth and then shouted, "Lucario! If you want to win this as badly as I do, please listen to me!" At this point, the blue jackal managed to get back onto wobbly feet and regarded Alex with a skeptical glare. Undaunted, he continued, "You have to stay close to Stoutland. If you attack from far away, he'll just pop back underground before you can reach him. You'll get hit a few times, but your typing should mitigate the damage and you can hit him with Force Palm in the meantime. I know you're already tired, but if we play this right we can still win this!"

Lucario frowned, but nodded in understanding. Unseen by either of them, Cheren's smile turned bittersweet. His opponent was definitely thinking on his feet, but he'd made a tactical error…

Lucario used Bullet Punch to close the distance, knowing the giant terrier would dodge but that it would satisfy the first part of Alex's plan. To his surprise, Cheren actually ordered Stoutland to remain still, and the giant canine weathered the blow with relative ease. Before Lucario could react, Cheren issued one final order:

"Stoutland, use Superpower!"

A blinding white glow covered Stoutland's body. With a mighty paw, he delivered a devastating blow which launched his opponent across the arena. Lucario tumbled on the dirt floor and skidded to a stop right in front of Alex's podium, knocked unconscious the moment he was hit.

"Lucario is unable to battle!" the referee declared. "Victory goes to Leader Cheren!"

Alex wasn't really listening. Slowly, he dragged himself out of the podium and in front of Lucario. He was already stirring, and in a moment the Aura pokemon would regain consciousness. Alex failed to notice Cheren recall his pokemon and cross the other side of the field. "Do you know what you did wrong?" he asked.

"Which part?" Alex asked bitterly, never taking his eyes off Lucario. "Was it coming in here thinking Lucario would cooperate with me, or was it when I ran away from home thinking I could actually make this work?"

Cheren promptly slapped him upside the head. Alex let out an "ow!" and Cheren glared at him. "Don't be an idiot! I already told you I wasn't going to make it easy. You promised me you wouldn't give up if you lost, remember?" Alex nodded meekly, and Cheren calmed down a little. "Your mistake was being too hasty. It was good that you were thinking on your feet and devising new tactics to fit the situation, but you ordered Lucario to close in on Stoutland without knowing all of his moves. You didn't consider the main strength of the normal type; their diversity. Normal type pokemon can learn a wide variety of attacks, and it's the reason I use them at this gym. Assuming I had only one attack that could affect Lucario was foolish, and that assumption is what cost you the match."

By now Lucario was awake, and he flinched when he suddenly found Cheren's scowl directed at him. "And _you_ ," he began, "should have listened to Alex. You went all-out without any consideration for what Stoutland might do, and refused to listen to most of Alex's tactics. You're strong and you had type advantage; if you allowed Alex to help, you might have won the match."

Lucario whimpered a little, but Cheren ignored it. "Overall, the both of you did rather well. Seriously though, this was your first battle working together and Alex's first battle ever…not to mention you're _both_ as stubborn as mules. It's a little insulting to me that you two thought you'd win on your first go. Strength isn't something given to you; you have to earn it. And the thing about it is, no matter how strong you get, there will always be someone stronger than you. I had to learn that the hard way…" he looked thoughtful for a moment, but continued, "Always strive to be the best you can, but don't be upset when you run into someone better than you. In all likelihood, they had to work very hard to get to where they are."

His lecture finished, the dark-haired gym leader turned and went for the door. "Go take Lucario to the Pokemon Center. If you two can work out your differences then good, but just so you know Alex I'm willing to lend you a rental that will be more… _cooperative._ " Lucario growled but otherwise did nothing. "Come back whenever you're ready, I'll be here waiting."

Cheren made his exit, and for a while Alex and Lucario sat at the podium. Neither was willing to break the silence; in the end, they wordlessly agreed to walk to the Pokemon Center together. It was long past sundown when they got there and their trip was utterly silent. They entered, Alex rented his room, and the nurse treated Lucario's injuries. Alex didn't bother to wait for him and went upstairs. Their partnership was probably over and he didn't feel like seeing him anyway. He promptly locked the door to his room and flopped onto the bed. The furniture was sparse and the mattress was lumpy, but it was cheap and would work better than dirt and grass by the river. His ankle throbbed a little, but he was in too sour of a mood to pay it any mind.

He'd planned for this, hadn't he? Colress' money would allow him to stay here a few more nights, so he'd have plenty of chances to try again. Of course, even if he did win and got his license, he still wasn't sure what he would do afterwards… A light knock peeled him from his thoughts. Alex slowly limped to the door, undid the locks, and cracked it to get a look at his visitor. To his surprise, it was Lucario.

… _hi…_ he projected. Alex didn't react, and Lucario eventually continued, _You weren't downstairs when the nurse was finished with me. She said you rented a room here, so I was wondering if maybe I could spend the night?_ Alex considered it. On one hand, he was in a position to do Lucario a favor for once. However, he was still bitter about his loss to Cheren and really just wanted to be left alone to sort out his thoughts. Lucario sensed the emotion and added, _I'm sorry about the match today. I wasn't strong enough to win on my own and wouldn't listen to you. I…underestimated you, and it cost both of us._

Alex's face softened. He opened the door and motioned for Lucario to enter. The blue jackal did so and Alex closed the door and locked it. Lucario took a spot by the window and Alex sat on the edge of his bed. "So…what exactly was that about anyway?" Alex asked. "Were you always planning to challenge the gym leader, or does this have something to do with your trainer moving to Nimbassa?"

Red eyes, normally bright and fierce, stared solemnly into cyan. _No, not until I found out my trainer was already part-way through the gyms. I don't know why, but it didn't occur to me he'd already started the league challenge. I should have known better…_ A loud sigh escape the Aura pokemon and he added, _Alex, I need to tell you something._

Alex raised an eyebrow. "Okay then…what is it?"

It seemed to take Lucario a moment to steel himself for whatever he was about to say. Slowly, sadly, he projected, _Remember when I told you I was separated from my trainer? That wasn't the whole truth. We weren't separated…he released me into the wild._ The room became deathly quiet, and Lucario realized he had Alex's complete, undivided attention. He continued, _My trainer hatched me from an egg and raised me for three years. He wants to become Unova's Pokemon Champion, and he was raising a team to take on the gyms. We trained all the time and he always pushed me to do my best...but it wasn't enough. I lost most of my matches, and the ones I didn't were only because I was recalled before I could faint. I could feel his frustration every time I lost. He was always so nice to me, and I felt like I was getting in his way. I desperately wanted to get better and start winning matches, but I just couldn't…_ A few tears came to his eyes, but they were quickly brushed away with a black paw.

Alex didn't need to be told what happened next. "He didn't think you were strong enough for his team, so he released you."

Lucario nodded solemnly. _I was still a Riolu at the time. I hoped that when I evolved I would finally be strong enough to start winning and make him happy. But he never gave me that chance. He released me in a forest I didn't recognize and smashed my pokeball right in front of me. He said he didn't need me anymore and that I'd be happier in the wild than I would be sitting in the storage system. I tried to follow him, but he kept telling me to leave; eventually, he sent out one of his other pokemon to chase me off. It was the last I ever saw of him…_ Lucario finished his story. He looked expectedly at Alex and waited to hear his thoughts. He didn't wait long.

"That's…that's _horrible!_ " Alex shouted. Something inside of him just _snapped_ , consumed by a righteous fury he'd never experienced before. Capturing a pokemon was one thing, but hatching one from an egg…it changed everything. You raised them, protected them, and taught them how to survive; you became a family. Throwing Lucario away for such a callous reason made his skin crawl. "How could he—that motherfu— _why_ would you want to go back to a trainer like _that!?"_ Lucario's eyes widened at the sheer _scale_ of Alex's a strange way, it was touching. "You're way too good for somebody like him! What he did was just…just _evil!_ "

He didn't immediately reply. _Deep down, I think I know all of that,_ Lucario began. _But_ _he released me because he thought I'd never get strong. I want to show him he was wrong, make him_ regret _abandoning me in that forest! That's why I need the gym badge—before, I thought just evolving would be enough, but if his team's already won him several than I have to go a step beyond! I know it sounds crazy, but it's the only way I'll ever get any peace of mind…_

Alex began to object, but thought better of it. He didn't get along with his father, but at least he still _had_ him; Lucario's family basically disowned him. This was _haunting_ him, Alex realized, and would continue to haunt him until Lucario finally confronted his trainer. Nothing he could say would dissuade him.

Which begged the question, "Why tell me?" Lucario raised a brow and Alex elaborated, "You went to all that trouble to make sure I didn't know the first time. You could have left after the nurse was done and we would have never seen each other again. Why tell me?"

Lucario fidgeted and looked at the floor, seemingly too embarrassed to look Alex in the eye. _I was afraid if I left, you would be mad at me. I…kind of wasn't thinking straight at the time, and to be honest I didn't have a high opinion of your abilities when we met. I wanted to win so badly, and I was afraid if I listened to you we'd lose._ The Aura pokemon sighed. _After what Cheren said though…I realized how selfish I was being, and that maybe I'd been too quick to judge you. That match meant just as much to you as it did to me. I figured you should know why I did what I did._ Lucario hesitated for a moment. _Also,_ _I'm not sure why but I think I can trust you with this. Other humans just tell me how sorry they are and say I should move on. Other pokemon say the same thing. You understand though, right...?_

Alex thought about it for a moment. "Not really," he admitted, and Lucario wilted. "Your trainer sounds like an asshole. I'm kind of with everyone else you've talked to and think you should try to forget him. However…" Alex smiled, and Lucario perked up a little, "I do understand wanting something more than anything else in the world. If you really want this, I'm with you one-hundred percent. Suddenly, Alex had an idea. "Hey Lucario, how about we make a deal?"

Lucario blinked. _A…deal?_

"Yeah," Alex began, cocky grin spread across his face. "Why don't we go back to the gym tomorrow and challenge Cheren again. If we win, I'll give you the Basic Badge. You have a nice, shiny badge to rub in your trainer's face, and I get my trainer's license. Win-win for everyone."

Lucario couldn't believe it. _You'd just give me the badge?_ _Just like that?_

"Well, yeah," Alex replied nonchalantly, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "I just want to be a trainer. I don't really care about challenging the Unova League, so long as I get to go on an adventure. It would mean more to you than it would to me, and honestly I'm just happy to be able to help for once."

For a moment, the blue jackal was speechless. Then, slowly, he smiled. _…thank you,_ he projected. _Not just for the badge, but for listening to me._

Alex grinned. There was no guarantee they'd win, but Lucario spoke as if it were a sure thing. "Anytime. Now, we need to figure out how we're going to beat Cheren's Stoutland. He's got two different attacks that are super effective against you, one for up close and one he can use from far-away…"

And so human and pokemon spent the evening talking strategy. It was well past midnight when they finally felt they had a counter to Cheren's Stoutland and went to bed. Alex snuggled under his blanket and watched Lucario curl into a ball by the window. He wished he could talk him into letting go of his abusive trainer. He wished even more he knew a better way to help other than giving him a badge. However, he also knew Lucario's mind was made up and there was nothing he could say that would dissuade him from that goal. It was odd; earlier that night, he was a little mad at the Aura pokemon. He knew it was unjustified and unfair, and that it likely wouldn't have made a difference whether Lucario listened to him or not today, but he had been mad all the same. However, Lucario opening up to him was humbling. It made him realize no matter how rotten things seemed, there was always someone out there who had it worse.

His thoughts returned to what he would do after he got his license. He wanted to go back home and show it to his father. Surely Alistair would relent and give Alex his blessing once he knew how he got his license. Surely it would be proof Alex _could_ make it as a pokemon trainer and that they didn't have to worry about him ending up like Astra. However, the possibility that none of that was true and he'd have to confront his father again terrified him. He desperately wanted his father's approval, and it occurred to him Lucario must have felt the same way about his trainer. Maybe he did understand after all…

Alex decided he'd spent enough time dwelling on this topic. There was a gym battle to win tomorrow after all! The blonde-haired teenager turned on his side, closed his eyes, and drifted into a light, troubled sleep.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Not gonna' lie, totally stole Cheren's surname from Coffee Included, author of _Alphabet Soup_. I don't have high opinions of B/W's story, but her take on it is nothing short of an epic, and the fact she made it so compelling makes it, in my opinion, one of the best Pokemon fanfictions ever made. Seriously, go read it!

Also, the post-gym battle scene was an absolute _bitch_ to write for me. I'm really, really horrible about having characters overreact, and I spent a lot of time re-writing that scene to make it seem less far-fetched without losing any emotional charge. My original plan was to have them fight with each other, but I couldn't figure out a reason why Lucario would bother to stay with Alex if he was actually mad. So instead, I gave Lucario a guilt complex and decided he'd seek out Alex to apologize instead.

Fun fact: Cheren was originally the one to meet Alex in the Pokemon Center last chapter. But then I realized it seemed rather cruel for Cheren to get his hopes up and then crush him in a gym battle, so I had Colress talk to him instead. I wanted to introduce him earlier anyway, and it seems in character for him to be somewhat helpful to the protagonist. I mean, it's not like he has ulterior motives or anything…

 _Cough_

So yeah, please let me know what you think. I'm trying to keep the review-whoring to a minimum, but I would like to know what people think of my story. Anonymous reviews _are_ enabled, for any readers out there without an account (wink wink, nudge nudge). You can be honest with me; I'm a big boy, I can take it!


	4. Wish Granted

**Chapter 4: Wish Granted**

* * *

Alex woke up the next morning to a pair of bright, red eyes staring at him from across the bed. It startled him so much he fell off, which prompted a quick _Sorry!_ from Lucario and a groan from himself. Alex got dressed, bought breakfast downstairs (Lucario already ate; he was up _much_ earlier than Alex), and set off with pokemon in tow towards the gym. They were half way, in the middle of discussing their strategy one last time, when something small and purple jumped in front of them. To their surprise, it was a Purrloin.

"Um…hi," Alex said. "Are you…the _same_ Purrloin we saw yesterday?" Purrloin nodded. "Cool…" he said half-heartedly. "Um, sorry Lucario here kind of had to beat you up, but in our defense you did start it. I know you probably want a rematch, but we need to get going so could we just—?"

Purrloin started meowing to Lucario. He asked something with a bark, and Purrloin meowed back with a big grin on her face. Lucario glared at her. _She says she saw our match yesterday and that we 'got our asses handed to us on a silver platter.' She figures we're going back for more and wanted to wish us good luck… Also, we won't see her, but she'll be watching apparently._

Her message delivered, Purrloin meowed a goodbye and ran off. Lucario let out a low growl, but Alex put a hand on his shoulder. "Just ignore her," he said. "It doesn't matter what she or anyone else thinks. I know we're going to beat Cheren this time!"

Lucario looked up at the human. _Are you really that confident?_ he asked.

"No," Alex answered honestly. "But I'm hoping if I keep telling myself that, things will work out anyway."

Lucario chuckled. _Fair enough,_ he replied.

The rest of their trip was silent. A familiar white building with orange roofing appeared around the corner, and before they knew it they were sitting inside Aspertia City Gym's reception area. Cheren was busy with a few challengers this morning, the receptionist explained. It was mainly older students who just got their licenses and wanted to try for the Basic Badge. Alex and Lucario watched as boys and girls slightly younger than him all left the gym, either triumphantly holding their badge, or downtrodden and muttering promises about "next time." Alex became increasingly nervous and noticed Lucario seemed to feel the same way.

Alex patted his head and said everything would be okay. Lucario gave him a sour look and Alex winced, realizing maybe he'd overstepped his boundaries. He was saved by the receptionist informing them that Cheren was ready. They traveled the familiar hallway and stepped into the courtyard-turned battlefield. Cheren was over in the corner, petting and consoling a small Lilipup.

"Good work today," he told the small, brown terrier. "I knew that last trainer and he was top of his class. You made him work for that badge, and that's all that matters." The small puppy yipped happily and Cheren finally noticed Alex and Lucario. With one last pat on the head, he returned the Lilipup and addressed his approaching challengers. "Welcome back Alex," he began amicably, "I had a feeling I'd be seeing you again today." He eyed Lucario and added, "You're going to challenge me with that Lucario again?"

Lucario growled, but Alex shushed him. "Don't worry about him, we've worked everything out."

Cheren smirked. "I'm glad to hear it. Now, if you would…" Alex nodded, and gym leader, challenger, and referee all took their respective positions on the field. "Same rules as yesterday," Cheren said as he adjusted his tie. "One pokemon each, first to faint or forfeit loses. Given the nature of your challenge, I shall use whatever pokemon I see fit. Do you accept these terms?"

There was no more room for self-doubt. Yesterday, Alexander Andrite was a fool who ran away from home on sprained ankles and lost gym matches. That was yesterday though, and today he would take his first step to becoming a different person. "I do!" Alex said with confidence as Lucario assumed a fighting position. "Just so you know Cheren, things will be different than last time. We're not losing again!"

Cheren's smirk grew wider, before transforming into a vicious scowl. "Alright then, show me what you're capable of! Let's go Stoutland!"

The large terrier materialized in a flash of white. He recognized his opponent and snorted, earning a low growl from Lucario. "Lucario, remember what we talked about!" Alex called from the podium. The Aura pokemon looked at him and nodded before returning his attention to Stoutland.

Then the match began. "Stoutland, use Dig!"

Stoutland obeyed Cheren's command and dove underground. Lucario immediately closed his eyes and used aura to promptly dodge an eruption of dirt and rock. Stoutland hung in the air for a moment, and then dove back in, like a fish swimming through water. Alex instructed Lucario to keep dodging, and for a while that's all that happened. Stoutland would explode from below and Lucario would jump out of the way. He'd occasionally try to reach out and tag the canine with a Force Palm, but Stoutland was too quick and dove into the ground each time. Cheren frowned. Surely there was more to his plan than this? Lucario couldn't dodge forever, and Stoutland had the stamina to outlast him.

Just as he knew would happen, Lucario eventually fell to his knees panting. Cheren saw the nervousness on Alex's face and decided to end it quickly. "Stoutland, he's worn out! Hit him with everything you've got!"

Through his aura-sensing, Lucario watched Stoutland change direction and close in on him. He really, really hoped this would work…

Lucario stepped backwards slightly, just enough for the ground beneath him not to give as Stoutland emerged. With a loud roar and a fist coated in icy blue, he punched Stoutland downward with the strongest Ice Punch he could muster. The recoil knocked him off his feet, but Stoutland's momentum amplified the force of the blow and he came off far worse in the exchange.

Cheren watched slack-jawed as Stoutland crumpled to the ground and Lucario was flung away. "What…what just happened?" he asked, but then immediately realized the answer. "Oh wait, I see…Lucario wasn't actually tired. You lulled me into a false sense of security so I would try to deliver a finishing blow, but then turned it against me."

Alex grinned. "Pretty much," he admitted. "I figured that Lucario's Ice Punch might help negate the ground type attack, and that he was strong enough to survive the recoil."

By this point, Stoutland was back on his feet, battered and a little woozy, but still able to fight. "I'll give you credit for originality," Cheren began with a wicked smirk, "but make no mistake, it'll take more than that to put Stoutland down. And I _won't_ make the same mistake twice. Stoutland use Work Up, and then hit him with Wild Charge!"

A red aura engulfed the terrier, and then he charged wreathed in lightning. Lucario was still getting to his feet and thus barely managed to put up his arms to absorb the blow. The blue jackal winced as electricity crackled across his body, but pushed through it and hit Stoutland on the side with a Force Palm. Stoutland staggered, but then rushed forward and flung a glowing white paw at his opponent. Lucario rolled with the attack, dissipating most of the force of the blow, and replied with a Bullet Punch. It didn't seem to hurt Stoutland too badly, who used the moment of contact to zap him with electricity from Wild Charge. Lucario winced, and found himself flung away by another Superpower. It was noticeably weaker than last time, but still did plenty of damage.

This continued for several minutes. Lucario would close in and hit with a Force Palm or Bullet Punch. Stoutland would either roll with the blow or use Dig to dodge, then remerge, use Work up, and charge at him cloaked in electricity. Both challenger and gym leader shouted commands, warnings, and encouragement to their pokemon. If Alex wasn't so engrossed in the battle, he might have realized that he'd forced Cheren to go all-out.

Lucario was tiring, but Stoutland was tiring faster. Cheren needed to end this soon while he still could. Lucario lunged with an Ice Punch, but overreached and threw himself off-balance. Cheren seized the moment and shouted, "Stoutland, hit him with Superpower! _Don't hold back!_ "

The familiar white glow intensified to a point not seen before. Stoutland slammed into Lucario with everything he had and sent him sprawling, a faint glow dissipating when he hit the dirt. It was likely Endure, but that didn't matter now. All Stoutland had to do was deliver one final blow. Crackling with white energy, the large terrier burst forward at break-neck speeds to deliver one last Superpower and end the match.

" _Now!_ " Alex screamed.

Before the oversized terrier could reach him, Lucario put his paws to the floor and detonated the largest Force Palm he could muster. A blue shockwave erupted along the ground and kicked up a cloud of dirt high into the air. He jumped backwards just in time to dodge a glowing forepaw and disappeared into the earthy mist. Cheren's eyes went wide as he realized the trap sprung. "Stoutland, watch your back! He's going to use the dirt cloud to sneak up from behind!"

The large canine went on high alert, but it did little good. Stoutland wasn't bothered by the cloud of dirt, but aside from obscuring his vision it also blocked his keen sense of smell. Meanwhile, his opponent had aura-sensing, meaning he could navigate the battlefield freely. Stoutland could charge through the fog and try to force his opponent out of hiding, but repeated use of Superpower left him exhausted and vulnerable to attack. The best he could do was to wait for the dust to settle.

Lucario gave him no such luxury. The blue jackal appeared from the dust, slid underneath, and placed two blue-glowing paws on the terrier's belly. Before he could react, the world tumbled as two powerful Force Palms launched him into the sky. The attack's shockwave opened a hole in the cloud of dust, and from high above Stoutland could see Lucario leering at him from below.

"Alright Lucario, finish him off!" Alex roared triumphantly. "Hit him with a Hi Jump Kick! _Go!_ "

Lucario leapt into the air above the helpless Stoutland, his blue and yellow body framed in the light of the afternoon sun. With a roar as loud as it was defiant, Lucario launched his attack and axe-kicked his opponent with all his might. Stoutland crashed into the ground and kicked up a storm of dust, before the impact's shockwave dissipated it as quickly as it came. Lucario nimbly landed a few feet away and warily approached his opponent. Inside the impact crater, Stoutland twitched once, twice, thrice… The Aura Pokemon crouched into a fighting stance, but on the fourth twitch the canine went limp and finally fainted.

"Stoutland is unable to battle!" the referee announced. "Victory goes to the challenger Alex and his Lucario!"

His jaw fell open. Bright cyan eyes widened in shock. "We…we did it…" Alex muttered. "We beat the gym leader…and that means…" A wide, uncontrollable smile stretched across his face as tears of joy gathered in his eyes. "I'm officially a pokemon trainer. Lucario, we did it! _I'm a pokemon trainer!_ " He ran across the battlefield and scooped the surprised jackal into his arms, whooping and hollering in pure joy.

Super-powered terriers? Eh, give Lucario a chance and he'd launch them into the stratosphere. But Alex's bear-hug? There was no escape…not that he really wanted to though. The warm embrace was comforting, and as Alex hugged him and thanked him again and again, he returned the hug and gave his own thanks for helping him win a badge.

"Congratulations," Cheren began warmly as he sauntered towards the pair, pausing briefly to return his pokemon. Their joy was infectious, and Cheren's own grin was as wide and sincere as their own. "As a gym leader, it's my job to be a wall for trainers to overcome, both physical and metaphorical. Not only did you overcome the difficulties between you and your pokemon, you displayed tactical awareness of both your opponent's abilities and the terrain around you. Alex, you may still be a little rough around the edges, but I have no doubt you will do well in your career as a trainer."

Cheren held out something towards the new trainer, and Alex turned to see what it was. A small rectangular pin, gold and violet and reminiscent of the spine of a book, lay gleaming in the afternoon sun. "This is the Basic Badge," he explained. "It is proof of your victory against me. Today, not only have you become a full-fledged pokemon trainer, you've taken your first steps to conquering the Unova Pokemon League. Once again, congratulations."

Alex accepted the badge. The metal was cool to the touch, and for a moment both human and pokemon examined it reverently. Finally, Alex gave it to Lucario as promised, who accepted it with a warm smile. "Thank you," he said to Cheren, voice wavering in emotion. "You have no idea how much this means to me. Not just the fact I'm a trainer now, just knowing I have what it takes to _be_ one."

Cheren smiled. "You always had what it took; I could tell the moment I met you. You were awkward and a little unsure of yourself, but behind it I could feel your determination, your _passion_. Sure, maybe running away like you did wasn't brilliant…" Alex chuckled nervously as Cheren gave him a look, "but wisdom will come with experience." He then turned to examine the courtyard, noting the giant mess their match created. "Of course, now I have all of this to clean up. What a bother…"

Alex and Lucario couldn't help but laugh, and even Cheren had to chuckle. The two were escorted to the front of the building, where the receptionist gave Alex his prize money, a TM for Work Up, and a stack of paperwork. When that was done, Alex had his picture taken and shortly thereafter received an ID card which proved his status as a licensed pokemon trainer.

The rest of the afternoon went by quickly. They bought supplies with the prize money, got a lunch at one of the local restaurants, and took the time to properly see the sights. As afternoon turned to dusk, the pair found themselves at the top of the lookout near the gatehouse, the one fabled to be the beginning of the current Champion's journey three years ago. The sky was alight with golden reds and deep violets that signaled the coming of nightfall.

It was a hard feeling to describe. For years now Alex dreamt of this moment. He held his trainer card towards the setting sun, and he felt…complete, _whole_ , as if a part of him he didn't even know was missing had been reclaimed. A deep, content sigh escaped his lips. He glanced to his right and saw Lucario leaning against the railing examining the Basic Badge. After a moment it went into a bag Alex bought him and the Aura pokemon turned to watch the sunset, lost in a different kind of emotion.

 _What do you plan to do now?_ Lucario asked, never taking his eyes off the sunset. _Now you have your license, as well as the praise of the gym leader you won it from. I don't know your family well, but surely it's enough proof for them._

"You're asking if I'm going back home?" A sour look crossed the young man's face. "To be honest…I'm not sure. I know I want to be a pokemon trainer and travel Unova and have an adventure, but…running away like I did, after that big fight? It's not how I wanted to leave..." Alex sighed, and it was anything but content. "I'm kind of afraid that if I go back, they'll try to stop me from leaving again. They can't anymore—I'm sixteen and a licensed trainer now so I can leave home if I want—but if I left against their wishes then it just puts me back at square one. I want them to be _okay_ with me leaving, and I don't know how to do that …"

"Then your mind's made up Alexander?" The voice sent a shiver down the blonde boy's spine. He turned to face the speaker and paled. His own reflection, years older and worn down by time, met his gaze with cold, world weary eyes. They hadn't known, but Alistair had been watching and listening for at least half an hour. Behind him was his Ampharos Amy, alternating between looking at Alex worriedly and glaring at the Lucario which snatched away her partner's child.

Lucario felt Alex's trepidation and stepped closer to his side. The action prompted an angry spark from Amy's body, but Allistair motioned for his pokemon to remain calm. Alex did likewise when Lucario growled.

"I don't think I understand your question," Alex admitted. His legs shook, his insides frothed, but his voice remained calm and steady. He couldn't afford to be weak now.

Alistair inhaled. Alex thought it was to reign in his temper. Alistair knew it was to choke down his growing fear. "You want to be a pokemon trainer. You want to travel across Unova by yourself, just like your sister did thirteen years ago. There's nothing I can say to stop you, is there?"

Alex slowly shook his head. "I don't feel comfortable doing anything else. I've always loved pokemon and wanted to travel with them. I've always wanted to train them, help them become the best they can be. Most of all…I want to find where I belong in the world. I've never felt like I was good at anything, and to be honest I've been afraid I wouldn't be good at this either; I was afraid you were right." Lucario sensed what he would do next and handed Alex his bag. He reached into it and pulled out the Basic Badge, to the surprise of his father. "But today, I proved you wrong. I _can_ do it. I have what it takes to be a pokemon trainer, and I'm going to work damned hard to become the best one I can!"

Alistair was silent. His son returned the badge and looked at his father with a nervous determination, waiting to hear his reply. Alistair's gaze shifted from his son to the Lucario, and for a moment Alex saw something so horrible in intensity rage _wished_ it was good enough to describe it. Alex took a step between him and Lucario, much to the Aura pokemon's surprise. The trembling legs and frothing stomach were gone, replaced with adrenaline and protective rage.

Alistair's face became neutral again, save for one upturned eyebrow. That too disappeared, and without another word Alistair threw something large and brown at his son's feet. It was a backpack. "It's my old traveling gear," he explained as Alex hefted the bag to inspect it. "There's a few change of clothes in there, some cooking utensils, and a sleeping bag; in short, stuff you'll need for basic survival."

Speechless didn't do it justice. Rather, if felt like Alex had all the wind knocked out of him in one swift blow. "Does this mean…you're okay with—?"

Alistair raised his hand for silence and Alex obeyed. For the first time since their conversation started, Alistair willingly showed his emotions. "If you're so determined to leave, then never come back!" he spat with a venom so horrible it made his son's blood run cold. "I never want to see you again, and you're not welcome in my home. If you come within a hundred feet of us I will call the police and have you arrested." Alex felt his world fall from under him as the ramifications of those words sunk in. Willingly oblivious to the look on his son's face, Alistair continued, "If you want to go and kill yourself, I'll have no part in it. As far as I'm concerned, you're as dead to me as Astra _._ "

Alistair turned to leave and beckoned Amy to follow. The Ampharos met Alex's gaze one last time before she left. He didn't need a translation to understand what she was telling him. _I'm sorry Alex. I don't want to leave, but he is my master and I must obey. Please forgive me._

And just like that they were gone. Alex finally had his wish; he was a pokemon trainer and had his father's blessing to travel Unova. Never did he imagine how much it would cost. He wanted to pretend his father didn't mean it, or that if he did come home his mother would leap to his rescue. Then he remembered the night he left, how his normally protective mother did nothing. She never stood up to her husband directly; her comfort was always given behind Alistair's back. She loved her husband more than she loved him.

Lucario watched helplessly from the side, almost drowning in Alex's emotions. Hurt, betrayal, rage…it was the same thing he felt the day his trainer abandoned him. He wouldn't wish this on anyone.

"Hey Lucario…" Alex's voice was a soft whisper devoid of emotion. From the outside the boy looked eerily calm, almost serene, but Lucario's abilities made him privy to the maelstrom inside. "A moment ago…you asked me what I planned on doing…"

Lucario slowly nodded. Alex turned around and faced the railings of the lookout. He could just barely make out his father and his Ampharos at the gatehouse. With a deep breath, Alex poured all his anger, hatred, and sadness into a single promise shouted at his father.

"I'm going to become stronger than you!" Allistair stopped, giving the impression he was waiting to hear more. Alex readily delivered. "I'm going to travel the region, beat all the gyms, and become a better trainer than you _ever_ dreamt of being!"

Allistair didn't turn around. Alex imagined that his father was glaring scornfully, a thought which only served to infuriate him further.

"I am Alexander Andrite!" Alex declared with a sweep of the hand. "I know I make mistakes and poor decisions, but whatever it takes, I _will_ make myself stronger! I'm going to prove you wrong and become the best damn trainer in the entire region; I'm going to become Champion of Unova! And _when I do_ , I'm coming back to _my_ home, with my champion team of pokemon behind me, and I'm going to show you _just how wrong you_ _ **are**_ _!_ "

Alex finished, out of breath and leaning on the railing, and watched for Alistair's reaction. He lingered a moment longer, then disappeared into the gatehouse. He never turned around, never fully acknowledged his son's words. Alex slid to the ground with his back against the rails, gasping for breath and trying to hold back his tears. The feeling of something soft momentarily brought him out of his melancholy.

Lucario sat next to him. At first, nothing was said. Nothing could _be_ said. Then, he reached over and placed a paw in Alex's hand. The boy felt cold metal, and when Lucario pulled away he saw it was the Basic Badge. _You said you'd give this to me because I needed it more than you._ Lucario began. _I don't think that's true anymore._

Alex was shocked. "Lucario…what about your trainer? How are you going to prove you won the badge?"

Lucario smiled. _I'll figure something out. There's a lot of gyms on the way to Nimbassa. Maybe the other gym leaders will be more relaxed than Cheren about their badges._ The blue jackal shrugged. _I'll find a way, that's all that matters._

Alex let out something between a chuckle and a sniffle. "I guess this is it then? One final favor before you leave." Lucario flinched, but Alex just smiled. "It's okay though. I think I finally understand what you were talking about before." Alex's smile faltered, and he started choking on his words. "Your trainer…it doesn't matter how badly he hurt you. It doesn't matter what he says…or what he does… because despite all of that you still want his respect, want to be close…because in the end, you're family…and you love him…"

Lucario turned away as Alex started crying. It was awful enough watching someone else go through the same tragedy as him, but Alex's comment about him leaving…hurt him in a way he couldn't describe. Was it guilt? Empathy? He didn't know and simultaneously decided it didn't matter. Before, he'd been unsure what to do next. Now the answer was obvious; there was no way Lucario would leave him like this…

He placed a paw on Alex's shoulder. The blonde haired boy looked up and saw red eyes staring straight into cyan. _I'm not going to leave you, Alex._ Lucario began. _In fact, I'm going to make you a deal. I'll travel with you and help you win the Unova League. In exchange, you help me find my trainer. And when we do, we beat him, together, as a team._ Lucario removed his paw and held it out to the crying teenager. _What do you say?_

Alex grabbed the smaller pokemon and pulled him into a sobbing hug. Lucario returned the hug, told him everything would be okay, and comforted him as best as he could. They sat like this on the lookout as the last ray of sunlight disappeared, and dusk finally gave way to night.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Well _that_ was fucking bittersweet. Seriously, if the site would allow me I'd add the "Hurt/Comfort" tag to this fic with the others just for this chapter alone.

Ladies and gentlemen, this is the end of the first "story arc" of _Prove 'em Wrong_. Make no mistake; Alex and Lucario aren't _close_ friends at this point. It's only been, what, _three_ _days_ in-story? Not to mention one of them has insecurities that will get in the way, as you'll see later. But I digress; the beginning of a strong friendship is there, and they have common ground between them. The only reason I'm even mentioning this is because I'm fishing to see how well I handled it thus far.

On a lighter note, I like to imagine the chorus to "Until My Body Runs Dry" playing as Lucario delivers the coup de grâce to Stoutland. Weird song, weirder anime, but damn if it isn't catchy… What's that? How is Alex hugging Lucario _without_ being skewered by his chest-spike, you ask? _Very carefully…_

So anyway, let me know what you think, and I'll see you soon.

EDIT (10/29/2015): At the suggestion of a reader, I've revised the scene where Alex yells at Alistair to where he's…well, actually yelling, rather than the narration glossing over it.


	5. Cold Logic

**Chapter 5: Cold Logic**

* * *

He absolutely fucking _loved_ this city! Huge crowds, tall buildings, a seedy underbelly, and the sweet, sweet smell of pollution; what wasn't to like about Castelia City? Unova's largest metropolis was a giant playground for people like him, and absolutely _overflowing_ with opportunity. In more ways than one, he reminded himself as he passed a woman wearing a tank top one size too small.

A dark visor obscured bright green eyes that constantly surveyed the mass of people around him. His destination was the park in the north-most part of Castelia, where trainers would be practicing or sparring with one another. A gloved hand reached up and ran through his slicked-back red hair, almost as fiery as his personality. People told him his pointy face and lanky build made him look slimy and underhanded. He liked to think he was literally sharper than every nimrod that had the misfortune to cross him. And _ho boy_ was the world full of nimrods…

He reached the park and stood near a vending machine to watch the battles. He noticed a girl with a Jolteon fighting an older boy's Krookodile. The Jolteon should have been outclassed, but the savvy trainer not only taught it Magnet Rise but also Signal Beam, and with his superior speed and improvised immunity to ground type moves the swifter eeveelution won the match. He watched the girl squeal in joy and run up to hug her pokemon, who nuzzled into her embrace. It would have warmed the cockles of his heart, if he gave two squirts of piss about shit like that.

She returned her pokemon and started to walk away. He left his spot, angled himself, and walked right into her. "Sorry about that," he said, hands touching her waist for a moment to push away. "Guess I wasn't watching where I was going. 'Suppose I could have run into worse people; at least you're cute."

The younger girl winced. "Um…thanks, I guess. Don't worry about it; I should have been looking where I was going too."

The older man's grin was downright predatory, and it sent a shiver down her spine. "Say, why don't I make it up to you? Let me buy you a drink; maybe we can get to know each other a bit? My treat."

The young trainer shook her head. "Um, _no thanks._ I just turned eighteen, and you're creepy. Goodbye."

She quickly turned and ran into the crowd. His smile broadened, and he reached into his pocket and pulled out a red-and-white pokeball. "Shame you said no," he said as he casually tossed the ball up and caught it repeatedly. "I might have let you have this back. Assuming you was a good little girl, of course." Not that he had any intention of doing anything with her anyway. The lecherous perv-thing was just an act to scare her away before she realized her Jolteon was now _his_ Jolteon. By the time she calmed down, he'd be long gone. Even if she put two-and-two together the visor obscured his face and "tall with red hair" wasn't enough information for the police to find him. Not that he was overly concerned about the police to begin with.

Besides, "barely legal" wasn't his thing.

He started walking towards a random city district. They called people like him "Pokemon Poachers," hunters known for their ability to track down and capture rare pokemon. You'd assume with a name like that, most of the pokemon he captured were wild. In practice he and his colleagues were more like "Pokemon Mercenaries", hired to obtain whatever target the client wanted so long as the price was right. Rare was rare after all, and to the group he worked with it didn't matter whether or not the captured pokemon was wild or stolen. Unfortunately for the girl, "Jolteon" was on his to-catch list, and so her partner had to be sacrificed to the almighty god that was his bank account. The booze and hookers it would buy him would not be in vain.

His XTransceiver rang. He pulled it out and saw a new message from a client he and his colleagues did a lot of business with. He skimmed the message, ignoring all the self-important fluff, and eventually found the name of his target. A pause. He re-read the message, one part hoping he'd misread something, the other hoping to maybe find an explanation.

With neither forthcoming, he typed a reply. _Bullshit. Give me proof or give me some of what you're smoking._ He sent his message and ten minutes later his Xtransceiver rang again. It was a video this time, and the poacher immediately hit "play." It was shaky and the resolution was crap, but what the video showed was clear as day. He wanted to think it was doctored somehow, but why waste his time with something like this unless his client believed—no, _knew_ it was genuine?

The poacher chuckled. "Well, well, you learn something new every day. I guess I'm headed to Virbank." Chuckling, he put away his Xtransceiver and started walking south towards the docks. He needed to make a few phone calls, and then he had a boat to catch …

* * *

The morning after their victory against Cheren, Alex asked to rest up his ankle for a few days. Lucario agreed, and Alex found himself lounging inside the Pokemon Center while Lucario trained on Route 19. In truth, what Alex really wanted was some time to cope with what happened. His getting a trainer's license was a dream-come-true, but his father disowning him was a nightmare. He dreaded being alone, and spent most of his time talking to the nurses or other trainers in the lobby. On several occasions, when Lucario was gone and there was no one to talk to, he found himself in his room crying.

Unfortunately for Alex, the Aura pokemon wasn't great company. Lucario wasn't a very social creature, he realized, and tended to keep to himself. To his credit though, Lucario didsometimes _try_ to talk to Alex—ask how he was feeling or make a comment about something he saw that day—but the blond could tell he wasn't used to carrying a conversation. Each time he tried, the blue jackal would quickly give up and retire to his corner by the window, or leave to do more training.

One night, deprived of anything more meaningful to discuss, Alex asked Lucario to describe his trainer. Lucario agreed and shared everything he knew. His name was Richard Barrett, but most people called him Ricky. His hair is black and his eyes are brown, and Lucario remembered him being tall for his age and more than a little on the thin side. He should be about twenty, and when Lucario was around he had a Drilbur and a Mienfoo. Lucario couldn't remember anything else worth mentioning, and Alex said that was probably enough.

After a long period of silence, he thought of another question. "Hey Lucario…what was your trainer like?"

The Aura pokemon didn't answer immediately. _He was…strict…very, very strict. He always had this air of cold logic to him and never really acted his age, but every now and then something else would poke through._ Lucario closed his eyes for a moment, lost in an old memory. _I remember one time, after a trainer battle, he took us all out for ice-cream. We were in Castelia City at the time, and he got us those Casteliacones everyone talks about. Even though I didn't win my match up, he told me I did a good job, better than I'd ever done before. I could feel that he meant it, and at the time it made me so happy..._

A bittersweet smile stretched across his face. Alex internally winced; he didn't mean to make Lucario sad, but he had one more question. "How did you deal with it…? I mean…that day, when he left you…does it ever stop hurting?"

The Aura pokemon looked at Alex. He thought for a moment, and then said with finality, … _no, it doesn't_. _Eventually though…you kind of learn to live with it._

Alex nodded. It wasn't the answer he wanted to hear, but it was the truth and that was good enough.

They left Aspertia the next morning. They traveled Route 19 in a day and, for obvious reasons, didn't stop in Floccesy. It was weird leaving his home town a second time, even weirder knowing he might never come back. Alex chose not to think about it and focus on his goals: find Lucario's trainer, become Champion, and, most importantly, enjoy every damn minute of his journey. Alex couldn't think of a better way to spite his old man.

During that time, they ran into a few wild pokemon and even battled a few trainers. Most of the trainers were rookies and Lucario had little trouble dealing with them. A few of them even had Purrloins, which Lucario defeated with gusto. That fight with the one wild Purrloin must have really gotten under his skin…

It took them almost a week to reach Virbank City. They left the gatehouse and blinked as green forest immediately shifted to steel and concrete. It wasn't as impressive as Castelia, but Virbank was _definitely_ one of the more industrial cities in Unova. Part of that had to do with the refineries south of the city, an area the locals dubbed "Virbank Complex." The other part was due to Pokestar Studios, home of Unova's most famous stars and longest-running film franchises. Alex made a note to try and take a tour of the studios. If he was lucky, maybe he'd run into some of his favorite actors.

Much like Aspertia though, sightseeing would have to wait. Lucario wasn't really hurt, but he did have a few battles that day and they reasoned a trip to the Pokemon Center was called for. In the meantime, they continued the conversation they started earlier, namely when they would challenge Virbank's gym leader. Virbank had a relatively new leader too, and Alex admitted he didn't know much about him or her. Lucario thought he remembered hearing she—it was a she—used poison types, and they agreed if that was the case with Lucario's typing it probably wouldn't be a hard battle.

"Still though…" Alex began, "I'd kind of like to find another pokemon before we challenge her. We probably wouldn't need it, but at least I could start working on raising it for other battles."

Lucario nodded. _Why does it have to be before this gym?_ he asked. _There's a lot more pokemon near the other cities and you'd have a better pick of possible team mates._

Alex shrugged. "True," he said, "but I kind of wanted to use someone different for this gym. No offense Lucario, but considering how strong you are and your typing, using just you here…well, it kind of feels like cheating."

Lucario looked confused. _Why do you say that?_

"Well…you aren't my pokemon," Alex said matter-of-fact. "I mean, yeah, I guess I'm okay at coming up with stuff for battles, but I didn't actually train you. I dunno…it's complex and I'm not sure how to explain it."

Lucario understood what he was getting at. It was one thing to direct a strong pokemon in battle, but another to actually _train_ the pokemon to be that strong. The Aura pokemon reminded himself that _both_ of them had something to prove.

Alex switched to a different topic. "So, the weather feels nice. It's a little colder than usual because of the ocean, but I've always kind of liked the cold."

Lucario frowned. _I never really liked the cold. I especially didn't like it when I was living in the forest in the winter. There were a lot of times when I went into the city and snuck into somebody's house just to warm up for a bit…and maybe swipe a snack or two._ Lucario looked shifty for a moment and Alex snickered. _You humans and your houses, it figures you'd like the cold._

Alex shrugged again. "I guess I've never thought about it like that. I've never camped out in the winter before, so maybe I'll change my tune." A playful grin swept his face. "I bet a lot of people were surprised to find a Riolu hiding in their basement eating their food. They must have _loved_ you."

Lucario folded his arms and pretended to be indignant. _I'll have you know I was only chased out of a house with a broom_ five times _, thank you very much_ , he said while sticking out his tongue. Alex started laughing and Lucario laughed with him.

Suddenly, something small and purple ran past them on four legs. It was a Purrloin, they realized, and somehow they knew it was the same Purrloin from Aspertia. Then they noticed a pamphlet of some kind in her mouth.

"Hey, get back here!" someone shouted. "Louie, stop her before she gets away!"

Something blue and yellow ran by faster than Alex or Lucario could react. To their surprise, another Lucario appeared in front of Purrloin. The new Lucario gathered blue energy between his paws and then shot a sphere of aura. The purple cat responded by forming a Substitue, and as her body-double absorbed the blow she used Copycat and sent her own Aura Sphere right back at him. The other Lucario didn't have time to react and the attack erupted into a ball of bluish flame and sent him sprawling into the dirt. Purrloin promptly ran away, seemingly laughing, as the Lucario picked himself up and rubbed a comical amount of black soot from his face.

By then the stranger caught up and stood next to Alex gasping for breath. The teenager noticed he had a messy head full of brown hair and wore a white T-shirt with olive-green overalls. "Damn it, she done got away _again!_ " he cursed as his Lucario, Louie, returned just as dejected. Then for the first time he noticed the _other_ Lucario and his trainer standing next to him. "Sorry about that!" he said in an upbeat, but nervous manner. "I hope I didn't scare ya' or anythin'. It's just that I've been chasing that damned Purrloin all mornin', and it's about the fifth time we've come close to stoppin' her."

"Er…no problem," Alex replied. "So, why _are_ you chasing a Purrloin anyway?"

The brown-haired stranger grinned and rubbed the back of his head. "I suppose I should introduce myself. The name's Donny, and I work over at Pokestar Studios." He held out a hand to Alex, who promptly shook it. "I train the stunt pokemon, like Louie here, and occasionally run an errand or two for the directors. I was runnin' over a script for a new movie when that damned Purrloin went and stole it! I'd only sat it down for a minute, just to get some coffee. Damned purple-haired, green-eyed little—!" Donny took a deep breath, calmed himself, and said, "So yeah, that's been my mornin'. How about you?"

"Well, my name is Alex. Me and Lucario were headed to the Pokemon Center when Purrloin ran past us, and I guess you know the rest…" Alex thought about something and added, "Hey, why don't we try to get the script back for you? We're pretty sure we know that Purrloin and might be able to talk her into giving it back."

Donny looked ecstatic. "Damned if you wouldn't be doin' me a huge favor! Seriously, I'd really appreciate the help!" He pointed south, the direction Purrloin fled, and said, "The only place she could have gone is Virbank Complex. You'll know you're in the right place when you see all the construction equipment and tall grass. There's a bunch of steel and fire type pokemon runnin' around, so be careful, alright?"

Alex nodded and turned to face Lucario, who was having a conversation with Louie. "Hey Lucario, you want to go find that Purrloin and get their script back?"

Lucario, who was consoling a dejected Louie, turned when called and mentally projected, _Sure, I don't mind_. Alex nodded, told Donny they'd be back soon, and the two ran south towards Virbank Complex.

It was just as Donny described. Large, complicated machinery hummed loudly. Different kinds of storage containers were connected by catwalks and workers scuttled across them like ants on a table. They observed a few Magnemite here and there hovering in the grass, propelled by the large magnets hanging off the side of their spherical metal bodies.

It was noisy and chaotic; finding Purrloin would take a while. Alex quickly grew bored and looked for a way to break up the monotony. "So, what was that move the other Lucario used? The big glowing ball-thingy I mean?"

 _That was Aura Sphere,_ Lucario answered. _Humans and pokemon sensitive to aura can channel it into a concentrated sphere and use it as an attack. It's supposed to home in on the opponent's aura and never miss._

"Sounds useful," Alex replied. "How come you didn't use it in your battles against Cheren?"

 _I… don't really know how…_ Lucario admitted. Alex gave him a look, and he sheepishly added, _I never learned how, okay? I've always been more comfortable using physical attacks, and I've never really figured out how to use my aura for anything beyond aura-sight and telepathy._

"But one of your attacks uses… _never mind_." Alex put his hands behind his head. "I guess it's something we can work on later, _after_ we find Purrloin." He then started grinning. "You know, it's funny, now this Purrloin has taken on _two_ Lucario in a fight and held her own. I'm half-tempted to try and catch her. Just imagine: Purrloin, bane of Lucario the world over, at my command."

Lucario was not amused. _A_ horde _of Scolipede. All of them angry. At you. If you think I'm joking, then_ try me.

During their conversation, they wandered into the southern-most part of the complex. It was a small cliff overlooking the sea, with railing in place to prevent anyone from falling off. Alex was about to call Lucario's bluff when something rustled in the grass in front of them. Purrloin popped out, script held firmly in her mouth, and regarded the two with playful eyes.

"Hey Purrloin," Alex said as he tried to creep closer to the Devious pokemon. "Could you please give us that script? That guy, Donny, really needs it and is going to get into a lot of trouble if we don't bring it back." Alex rummaged through his bag and pulled out some leftover berries Lucario picked for his breakfast. "I've got some yummy, yummy Oran Berries I'd be willing to trade you for! You can have them if you give us the—"

Alex was interrupted by the script smacking across his face, cat-drool and all. Purrloin meowed to Lucario while Alex wiped off cat-spit and put the script into his backpack. _She says she's not impressed by the baby talk,_ Lucario translated once he had the teenager's attention. _Also, she says tormenting the Pokestar guy was fun, but she's bored now and probably would have given the script back later. Emphasis on 'probably.'_

Purrloin meowed something else, and this time Lucario's eyes widened. He barked something at her and she replied by meowing coyly. Lucario growled and Alex asked, "What exactly did she say to you? It sounded a little personal."

The blue jackal folded his arms indignantly. _She said she wants to battle you. She knows you're a trainer now, and she wants you to try and capture her._ Lucario pretended to look thoughtful. _She said some other things, but I'd rather not translate._ _Personally, I think we should just knock her out and be on our way._

Alex thought about it for a moment. "I don't know…this is the _third_ time we've run into her. If I don't capture her, she'll probably just keep following us." Alex shrugged. "Besides, she's pretty good in a battle and she could be a big help." What he didn't say was the fact a pokemon actually _wanted_ to be captured by him made Alex feel much better about himself as a trainer.

Lucario growled and looked even more indignant than before. Eventually, though, he sighed and said, _Yeah, I guess you're right. I still don't like it though._

Alex patted Lucario on the head, which made the Aura pokemon grumble even more. "It'll be alright," he said. "You still get to beat her up; you just have to make sure not to knock her out before she's captured." That placated him somewhat and Alex turned to address the wild pokemon. "Alright Purrloin, are you ready?" Purrloin nodded and crouched into a fighting stance. Lucario likewise readied himself and awaited Alex's command. "Alright Lucario, start off with an Ice Punch, then follow up with Bullet Punch. Go!"

Lucario ran forward, one hand wrapped in ice, the other coated in steel. Purrloin created a Substitute to absorb the first attack, but was sent flying by the second, faster Bullet Punch. The purple cat landed on her feet and used Double Team right as Lucario used Bullet Punch again and surrounded the blue jackal in a circle of illusionary clones. Rather than wait for Lucario to find her with his aura-sight, Purrloin started attacking with Copycat-enabled Bullet Punches. She would strike Lucario, disappear into the circle of Double Teams, and then attack again from a different angle before he could respond and break the Copycat chain. This continued for several more blows before Lucario finally managed to dodge.

Alex saw his opportunity and yelled, "Lucario, before she lands, hit her with Force Palm!"

Lucario obeyed and sent Purrloin flying with Force Palm. The attack did a lot of damage and the influx of aura seemed to stiffen her joints. However, the Devious pokemon grinned and used Copycat to rush him with her own variation of Force Palm, grateful to have a super-effective attack to use.

"Lucario, endure the blow!" Lucario crossed his arms and activated Endure right before Purrloin hit him. The attack wouldn't have KO'd Lucario regardless, but it did mean Purrloin couldn't use Force Palm anymore. Purrloin leapt away and stood panting. Alex knew she was too tired to use Double Team or Substitute. _Perfect._ "Alright Lucario, finish her off! Hit her with High Jump Kick!"

Lucario leapt into the air, high above Purrloin's head, and descended on her feet-first. Purrloin freaked out and activated the only move she could. Via Copycat, she used Endure right before High Jump Kick connected and sent her sprawling across the battlefield. She staggered to her feet, barely conscious and pushed to the absolute limits of her endurance.

 _Now!_ Alex flung a pokeball, which hit her with a light _bip_ and swallowed the purple cat in a flash of light. The ball shook once…twice…three times…

 _Click!_

 _Congratulations. Purrloin was caught_ , Lucario said dryly.

Alex ignored him and slowly approached the pokeball. He bent down, picked up the ball, and held it reverently in his hand. "I did it…!" he said to himself. "I caught my first pokemon! _Wahoo, I caught my first pokemon!_ "

Someone started clapping, the sound a loud _thud_ of white leather smacking against itself. "That was a splendid performance Alexander," the newcomer said in a sweet and even tone. Both human and pokemon turned to face the voice, and Alex realized it was Colress. "That was a clever strategy, baiting the Purrloin into using Endure to survive the final blow. That all but guaranteed the pokeball would work and capture her. A little unnecessary, given how tired she was after Force Palm, but clever nonetheless."

Alex didn't notice, but Lucario started trembling the moment he saw the scientist. Colress, for his part, _did_ notice and stared with gold eyes into fierce red and smirked. Lucario immediately straightened up and projected to the teenager only, _He called you by name, Alex. How does he know who you are?_

Before Alex could respond, Colress asked with fake geniality, "Is this the Lucario you told me about back in Aspertia? My, my, such a _strong_ -looking specimen. I'm sure his missing trainer will be _overjoyed_ when they're reunited."

 _You son of a bitch._ Lucario was still shaky, but anger overrode the bulk of his fear. He placed himself between Colress and Alex and projected to everyone, _You leave him out of this. You already know it's me, so whatever you've got planned cut the crap and do it already._

Colress chuckled. "My, my, so hostile... Relax Lucario, I don't have anything 'planned.' I am but a simple traveler now, exploring Unova and observing the world around me."

That didn't placate Lucario, who glared at the scientist and growled. Alex, for his part, looked immensely confused. "Um, what's going on?" he asked. "I thought you two didn't know each other. Didn't you tell me so back in Aspertia, Colress?"

Lucario didn't give him the chance to answer. _He lied._ _Alex, you know about Team Plasma, right? This guy was their leader._ Alex went slack-jawed. Colress just smiled, as calm and affable as ever. _He experiments on pokemon, trying to find different ways to make them stronger. He doesn't care how he does it, even if it means physically altering their bodies or manipulating their minds. I know this because Team Plasma captured me a few years ago and I saw it firsthand. He's a monster Alex._

"But I…you…he… _what?_ " Alex didn't know where to start. Lucario was captured by Team Plasma? Colress was the _leader_ of Team Plasma!? The fact he'd talked to—hell, gotten _advice_ from—somebody like that sent shivers down his spine. The fact he didn't want to believe it terrified him even more. "Colress, I thought you said you were a scientist!"

"I am," Colress replied evenly. "Team Plasma needed a leader, and I needed resources to conduct my experiments. Remember what I told you back in Aspertia, about mankind and limitations?" Colress tapped his head with his finger and added, "As Lucario said, my research is primarily in bringing out the maximum potential of pokemon. Team Plasma craved the power this and my other research could provide, and I needed test subjects and capital. It was a natural partnership."

Alex trembled, but unlike Lucario it was with rage, not fear. "You…horrible… _how could you!?_ " He pushed past the startled Lucario, fists clinched, and yelled at Colress, "Those monsters nearly destroyed the entire Unova region, and you sided with them just so you could conduct experiments? Who the hell do you think you are!" Alex gestured to Lucario, as if to make a point, and said, "Pokemon aren't tools to be used. They're living beings, just like you and me, and deserve to be treated with respect. You don't have the right to manipulate nature like that!"

Colress roared with laughter. It was joyous, mirthful, and genuine. Somehow, that made it even more unnerving. "Marvelous; simply marvelous!" Colress eventually calmed down, and a playful smirk replaced his normal smile. "You know, it's funny…you remind me of a young man I met three years ago in Castelia City. He felt the same way you do, and had this uncanny ability to bring out the inner strength of his pokemon." Colress sighed and seemed to lose himself in a distant memory. "As fate would have it, he'd go on to defeat Team Plasma, with a little help from myself. I was curious you see; pokemon raised by trainers are always stronger than their wild counterparts, but somehow what he did went beyond even that. In the end, we dueled in Team Plasma's stronghold. I held my own, naturally, but in the end he defeated me and I agreed to disband Team Plasma."

Alex considered what Colress just said. Two years ago, Team Plasma was beaten by two young trainers, one of which went on to become the Champion of Unova. It dawned on him just how absurdly strong Colress' pokemon must be if he was able to hold his own against one of Unova's Champions. Suddenly, he felt less brave than before.

Colress' smirk widened at Alex's dawning realization. "While I respect his opinion and would be hard pressed to argue against his results, I disagree with the basic idea behind it all. 'Not my place to manipulate nature…?' Young man, mankind has _always_ manipulated and dominated nature." He held out his hand and started counting down an imaginary checklist. "We clear forests for our cities and strip the earth of its metals for our technology. We create items such as Life Orbs and Focus Bands and elixirs such as Proteins and Calciums which enhance a pokemon's fighting prowess. Most importantly is our relationship with pokemon themselves!" Colress adjusted his glasses, producing the intimidating glare Alex saw back in Aspertia. "There are many creation myths that claim that in the beginning, humans and pokemon lived in perfect harmony. I believe that this notion is a farce, and if not for mankind's indomitable will these creatures would have ended us long ago. You of all people, Alexander, should know that."

It took him a moment, but Alex realized he was referring to the Scolipede. "That's not the same though! She was just defending her child; it's not like she _wanted_ to attack me!"

"And yet, were it not for Lucario you most likely would have perished," Colress replied. "Face it, we bent pokemon to our will and _made_ them our allies. We turned our greatest enemies into our most valuable assets." The scientist became calmer than before and spoke softly. "Pokemon make mankind stronger, and in return mankind strengthens their pokemon. However, it seems to me lately that the relationship has become lopsided." Colress paused, smiling when he saw he had their undivided attention. "I feel that pokemon give more to humanity than the other way around. As I see it, the only way to bring balance is for mankind to devise new ways to bring out more of their power. If that means playing loose with the laws of nature, or even competing with the likes of that boy, well…" Colress grinned, "I always did love a challenge."

Alex wanted to respond, but he couldn't think of anything to say. As warped as his goals and ambitions were, there was a cold, undeniable _logic_ to everything else he said. He couldn't argue.

Satisfied by the boy's silence, Colress began to walk away. "It was nice seeing you again Alexander, Lucario, but I'm afraid I must be leaving. Don't worry though; I'm confident we'll cross paths again. In fact, I look forward to it."

Alex started after him, but Lucario grabbed his arm. _Alex, don't,_ he said. _I'm not strong enough to beat his team, and I don't know what he would do. Please…_

Red eyes stared pleadingly at him. Lucario was afraid, really, _truly_ afraid. Alex relented and agreed not to go. Something was bothering him though. "Lucario…is there something else you're not telling me?" Alex asked. "I mean, finding out you were kidnapped by Team Plasma is kind of a big deal and you were _really_ scared..." Something occurred to him, and he asked, "He didn't experiment on you, did he…?"

 _No, he didn't,_ Lucario replied quickly. _I managed to escape before he could do anything to me. It was probably around the time the trainer he was talking about stormed their stronghold. I remember there being a lot of commotion at least._ The Aura pokemon pointed to Alex's backpack and changed the subject. _We should probably go return that script. We've been gone a while and I'd imagine they want it back._

Alex agreed, but privately wondered what else Lucario might be hiding. That entire meeting was just absurd, and the knowledge the ex-leader of Team Plasma was _stalking_ them did little to calm his nerves. Alex took a deep breath. Should they go to the police? Come to think of it, why didn't the Champion turn him in when he took down Team Plasma? Maybe something else was at play here, something neither he nor Lucario knew about. Or maybe Colress managed to trick the Champion the same way he'd tricked him back in Aspertia City.

Alex shook the thoughts from his head. There would be time to reflect on this later. Both human and pokemon left Virbank Complex, took a quick trip to the Pokemon Center to heal up, and headed to Pokestar Studios.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** I have a feeling only a few of you will read the walls of text below, so I'm going to go ahead and say thanks for reading and please let me know what you thought!

Anyway, Alex is silly for asking Lucario how he dealt with his trainer Ricky abandoning him. Yes Alex, ask the pokemon hell-bent on vengeance by beating the entire Pokemon League and curb stomping his old trainer along the way how he coped with being abandoned/disowned by said trainer. Dummy.

In regards to Colress, I realized after I already wrote this chapter that technically Colress pulls a Heel-Face Turn after the end of B2/W2 and that my portrayal of him here somewhat conflicts that. Normally I'm a stickler for following cannon, but Colress as a character just doesn't make any damned _sense_ to me in the games. He's a scientist studying how to bring out the potential in pokemon, and it's somehow a surprise to him that being friendly to the damn things makes them stronger? Literally everybody and their mother rants and raves about the bonds between humans and pokemon, so Colress somehow not catching on makes zero sense to me. So, I'm taking some artistic license and shifting him into a true neutral, mad-scientist archetype with a dash of manipulative bastard and god complex thrown in that is aware of the Power of Friendship but wants to find a way to surpass it because damnit Jim, he's a scientist and it would give him a nerd boner to figure out how to surpass fucking _friendship_. If it upsets you, pretend he's lying to/manipulating B2/W2's protagonist.

(Why yes, I _do_ browse TV Tropes!)

Why use Colress at all, I hear you ask? Well, I like how they handled Colress in the anime (at least in the one episode I watched because I was curious—the episode where he mind-controls Meowth from Team Rocket) and I like the ideas _behind_ Colress' character (an impartial scientist willing to play both sides to achieve his own goals while being a skilled battler in his own right). My issue is in the execution and the way they explain his motivations.


	6. Grand Tour

**Chapter 6: Grand Tour**

* * *

It was like stepping into an entirely different city; compared to the dull, gray grime of Virbank, Pokestar Studios was vibrant and gleaming. A grandiose movie theatre and an assortment of vendors lay on the east side, and on the west side sat the trailers, sets, studios, and warehouses. Crowds of people ran to and fro, some to catch a new movie, others to work on them. It was loud, it was chaotic, and most important to Alex it was _awesome_.

Lucario couldn't help but notice Alex practically bouncing in place. _You seem rather…excited,_ he said.

"Why shouldn't I be?" Alex replied. "This is _Pokestar Studios_. _Brycen Man_ , _Full Metal Cop_ , _Invaders, Big Monster;_ they were all made here!" He realized something that made him even more excited than before. "Oh, oh, what if we meet Sabrina? Or Brycen? Or Rena? Ooooh, I'd _really_ like to meet Rena!"

Lucario tilted his head sideways. _What's so special about her?_ he asked.

Alex briefly looked appalled before remembering who he was talking to. "I guess you wouldn't know, living in the wild and all that. Rena Kuro is an actress in one of my favorite movies ever, _Samurai Suicuine,_ where she's this badass Ronin in Johto tasked by Suicuine to be her champion and fight against the chosen champions of Entei and Raikou _._ " The more Alex gushed, the more enraptured he got. "They call her the 'Vixen of Virbank.' Almost every movie she's appeared in has been a smash hit, and even the ones that weren't still did pretty well. She's a really, really, _really_ good actress."

Lucario snickered. _You seem to be quite the fan. Are you sure there's not_ another _reason you like her films so much?_

Alex's face turned red. "Well…she's not hard to look at," he said lamely. Then he looked a mix between flustered and indignant. "But I swear, that has nothing to do with why I like her films! Honest!"

Lucario chuckled, but was preemptively interrupted by somebody screaming, _"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU LOST IT!?"_ The sheer _loudness_ of the yell made everyone nearby pause, and all eyes quickly looked to the older man with balding blonde hair and a _magnificent_ moustache, dressed in purple, was chewing out a younger man with brown hair and olive green overalls.

"Uh oh. I think we took too long," Alex said, realizing it must have been Donny on the receiving end of the verbal lashing. He wasn't sure, but there was a good chance the shorter man was Mr. Stu Deeoh, owner of Pokestar Studios. Off to the side was Louie the Lucario, silently watching the commotion and looking guilty. "C'mon, I think we better give the script back before the poor guy gets fired or something."

They approached the group and Alex tried to talk to them, but couldn't be heard over Stu Deeoh's yelling. Alex shrugged helplessly and Lucario rolled his eyes. He pretended to clear his throat and projected into their minds, _Excuse me gentlemen, but could we please have your attention?_

Stu Deeoh immediately stopped and regarded the newcomers amicably. "Oh, I am _so_ sorry. It's just that I'm afraid my employee here has made a _spectacular_ mess of things. I'm usually not the yelling type, but this bulbous, pot-bellied _buffoon_ has lost the script to our latest movie, and it's an absolute _disaster!_ "

Alex reached into his backpack and pulled out the script "Do you mean _this_ script?" he asked.

Stu Deeoh looked at him, then at the script, back to him, then back to the script. Suddenly, quicker than anyone that old and plump should be able to move, he scooped Alex into a hug and twirled across the ground. "Oh _dahling_ , you found the script! Ohoho, this is _magnificent_ , _stupendous,_ amazingly _spectacular!_ Oh, you have no idea—I could just _kiss_ you right now!"

"Please don't," Alex squeaked.

Stu Deeoh released Alex and asked how they found it. Alex and Lucario explained everything that happened that morning, leaving out the part about their run-in with Colress. The owner of Pokestar Studios nodded along, and when they finished he turned to Donny and asked, "Why didn't you _tell_ me you'd gotten a trainer to go hunt for the script?"

"Sir, I _tried_ ," Donny said dryly. "You kinda wouldn't listen to me." He turned to Alex and said, "So you caught that Purrloin, huh?"

Alex nodded with a proud grin. "Yep. This was the third time we ran into her across two different cities; I think she wanted to be captured."

 _Better she's with you instead of causing trouble here!_ Alex jumped at the unfamiliar mental voice and instinctively looked at Lucario, who shook his head and pointed to his counterpart. Louie waved and projected, _Yeah, I can use telepathy too. Sorry, I didn't mean to spook you; I'm used to the humans here knowing about it and thought maybe you would too since you have your own Lucario._

Alex smiled awkwardly and assured Louie it was fine. Then, Alex's pokeball opened and Purrloin appeared in a flash of light. Stu Deeoh immediately hid the script behind his back.

She looked around and sniffed the air. _"Huh, it looks like I'm back here again",_ she said to noticed the two Lucario beside her and flashed a toothy grin. " _Hey boys, how's tricks?"_ Both Lucario simultaneously grunted and looked away. Alex bent down and picked up Purrloin, but she squirmed out of his grip and decided to climb on top of his head. He reached up to grab her, but a few scratches later decided to leave her be.

Stu Deeoh looked contemplative. "You know, Alex, dahling, I should really find a way to thank you properly for bringing the script back… Wait, I know! How about a tour of Pokestar Studios? I can show you around, let you meet some of the actors, treat you to dinner, and you can even spend the night in one of our trailers. What do you say?"

To his credit, Alex _did_ look to Lucario before immediately accepting. However, one look at the mixture of bubbling, excited glee that was Alex, and Lucario knew there would be no turning this down. _I'm fine with that,_ he said with a shrug. _It beats sleeping in the woods or at the Pokemon Center at any rate._

"Then it's settled!" Stu Deeoh clasped his hands together. "Come along dahlings, and let me show you how we make the magic here at Pokestar Studios! Donny, Louie, you come too; you'll be better at explaining the more behind-the-scenes stuff than I will."

The small entourage spent the rest of the day touring all the different sets, editing departments, warehouses, and other relevant areas of Pokestar Studios. Alex was fascinated, Lucario was mildly curious, and Purrloin was decidedly indifferent. One of the places they stopped by was a sort of gymnasium near the guard house, where Donny explained this was where all the different stunt pokemon trained. Even though they didn't participate in real fights, they still had to be in tip-top shape and practice the flashy moves used onscreen. Louie proudly boasted he was one of the best stunt pokemon they had, and cited his roles in the _Brycen Man_ series as proof.

Lucario listened to Louie's boasting with mild annoyance. _Braggart,_ he projected while rolling his eyes.

Louie shrugged and flashed a cheeky grin, quite the feat for a canid. _Hey, the truth's the truth. I can't help it if I'm awesome!_

Alex ignored them and watched a Mandibuzz and a Sigilyph duke it out in the air. "They're really going at it. I didn't realize stunt pokemon had to put so much work into what they do."

Louie looked indignant. _What, just because we're pokemon doesn't mean we don't have to act! It takes a lot of skill to_ look _like you're beating the crap out of somebody without actually doing it._ The Lucario grunted. _And besides, you'd be surprised how well pokemon could play human roles. We could star in our own movies if you all just let us._

Alex shrugged helplessly. "Sorry, I didn't mean to offend you. I just…well, I guess I thought the moves just came naturally, and I'd never considered pokemon wanting to act... "

Louie sighed. _Don't worry about it, I get it. We jump out of tall grass and shoot fire and lightning, or throw things around with our minds, or summon rocks to throw at you. Listening to a Lucario wax poetic about acting; I shouldn't be surprised a trainer would be thrown for a loop._

Before Alex could respond, the doors on the other side of the gymnasium opened. A tall woman with long dark hair and teal-colored eyes stepped into the room. Her features were sleek and graceful, and her hair—dyed red at the tips—flowed down her shoulders into a ponytail at the base of her hips. She took a look around and noticed the group at the other end of the room.

Alex's eyes widened. "Is that…Rena Kuro?" he asked rhetorically, because he already knew it was. The Vixen of Virbank approached them, a warm, playful smile on her face. Alex, for lack of a better word, _squeed_ and immediately ran up to her, knocking off Purrloin in the process. " _OhmyArceusyou'reactuallyRenaKuroI'mlikeyourbiggestfan_ ever _I'msoexcitedtomeetyouand—!_ "

Lucario jumped up and smacked Alex upside the head. _Down boy,_ he projected sternly, and Alex sheepishly rubbed the back of his head and apologized.

Rena's smile widened; she seemed to enjoy the attention. "Well, that was certainly amusing," she cooed. "I'm flattered you like my films so much. Would you care for an autograph?"

Alex nodded and immediately dug through his backpack for something the actress could sign. Lucario's nose wrinkled and he started sniffing the air. Something wasn't right… Lucario closed his eyes and took in everything with aura-sight. What he saw made him gasp, but before he could react a mental voice loudly yelled at him, _Don't say anything!_

That was Louie, and when Lucario opened his eyes he saw the other pokemon glare at him with fierce red eyes. Except he didn't feel angry…was that fear? Lucario hesitantly assured the other jackal he'd keep quiet for now. Their silent back-and-forth was not unnoticed by Purrloin, who quizzically regarded the two pokemon.

Rena signed one of Alex's pokeballs ("To my adoring fan Alex, ~Rena") and turned to face the rest of the group. "Good afternoon Mr. Stu Deeoh. I trust things are going well today."

"Good afternoon yourself dahling," Stu Deeoh replied. "It was a little rough this morning, but this young man and his Lucario saved the day. I'm giving them a tour of Pokestar Studios and letting them spend the night in one of our trailers as a reward!"

Rena noticed for the first time the _other_ Lucario standing in the room. "Oh, this isn't one of the other stunt pokemon?" she asked. Lucario felt a twinge of nervousness from her, but the expert actress showed no trace of it in her face or body language.

"Nah, I'm afraid not," Donny cut in. "Aren't ya' working on another movie? What brings ya' all the way over here?"

Rena smiled. "I just stopped by because I wanted to say hi to Louie, that's all."

Donny grinned as Rena walked over to the Lucario. "Ah, I shoulda' known," he said as Rena started to scratch Louie behind the ears. "He seems to really like ya', ya' know. I best be careful, otherwise he'll want to run off and we'd be down one of our best stunt 'mons."

The scratching got good to Louie. His tongue fell out, his left leg started twitching in place, and a satisfied moan escaped his throat. Alex snickered and Lucario crossed his arms and looked embarrassed. Rena smiled and said, "You don't give yourself enough credit Donny. He's always talking about how much he likes working with you. It would take more than little old me to tear you two apart." She withdrew her hand and addressed everyone in the room. "Well, I'd best be off. Alex, it was nice to meet you. Donny, Louie, Stu, always a pleasure."

Everyone said their goodbyes, and the tour resumed. Alex had the good fortune to run into Brycen (who prompted a similar, albeit more restrained response from the trainer as Rena did), but aside from that the rest of the day was relatively uneventful. Donny and Louie left to go work with the other stunt pokemon, and Stu Deeoh treated Alex, Lucario, and even Purrloin to dinner. Alex thought it was a bit much _just_ for them returning a script, but Stu Deeoh would have none of that. Alex soon gave into pragmatism and ate his food with glee.

As the sun started to set, Stu Deeoh notified the guard house they'd be staying the night and escorted them to a spare trailer. The inside wasn't as glamorous as imagined—it was small, cramp, and a little dingy—but the bed was soft and comfortable, better than the lumpy beds at the Pokemon Center at least. Alex and Lucario thanked Stu Deeoh for his hospitality and the owner of Pokestar Studios bid them good night.

Alex immediately went for the couch and propped up his ankle. They'd done a _lot_ of walking and running that day and it was sore and swollen. Lucario iced it for him with Ice Punch, and the three settled into the small living room. Alex let out a content sigh. "Oh, that feels so much better…" he said while rubbing his ankle. "Well Lucario, I don't know about you but I had fun today!"

 _Yeah, it was…pleasant, I guess._ The mental voice sounded distracted, and the Aura pokemon didn't even look at Alex when he spoke.

Alex tilted his head curiously. "Hey Lucario, you okay? You didn't sound so sure of yourself just then."

The blue jackal hesitated and then looked at him. _I noticed something today during the tour. I'm not sure about what I saw, but…if it is what I think it is, well...I'm not sure you'd believe me if I told you._

Alex blinked, as did Purrloin. "Well, you've definitely got me curious," the blonde boy said. He stroked his chin thoughtfully, leaning back into the couch, and said, "You know what, try me. What's this weird thing you noticed today?"

Before Lucario could say anything, there was a loud, frantic knock on the door. Lucario got up and opened it and was almost knocked aside as Louie ran into the trailer. The other Lucario quickly closed the door, locked it, and mentally asked Alex, _Ok, what all has he told you!?_

"Um, what?" Alex was bewildered, and became even more so when Louie seemed to take that as a good sign. Lucario barked something at him, which prompted Louie to reply in barks and growls of his own. Lucario asked a question, Louie reluctantly gave an answer and Lucario seemed shocked. Then Louie said something else, which prompted Purrloin to chime in. The two started arguing about something and occasionally Louie would point to Alex, to which Purrloin would reply sternly and insistently. When he had all he could stand, Alex yelled above them and said, "Okay, just what the _actual hell_ is going on here!?"

Lucario started to speak, but Louie promptly put his paw over the other's mouth. Lucario rolled his eyes. _I can use telepathy,_ idiot, he projected and promptly removed the offending paw from his muzzle. They're _arguing over whether or not I should tell you about the thing I noticed today, which apparently I was right about. He says it's supposed to be a secret and he's worried you won't keep it._

Alex blinked. "Okaaaaay…this is getting a little weird now," he said. "Are we talking 'I wet the bed in fifth grade' secret, or 'mom I just killed a man' secret? Because I can keep the first one, but the second—"

Louie's loud sigh interrupted him. _It doesn't really matter what I say, does it?_ he projected to everyone. _You're going to tell him no matter what I do._

Lucario shrugged. _If you_ really _don't want me to, I won't say anything. I'm not sure he really wants to know anyway. But I agree with Purrloin; I think Alex can be trusted._ Lucario looked embarrassed to admit it. Alex was touched by the kind words and smiled.

Louie slumped, defeated. _Alright, if you really think so… follow me. I think it'd be easier to show you instead of telling you._

Alex quickly put his ankle brace back on and followed the two Lucario and his Purrloin. The sun was long gone, leaving nothing but the moon and a few street lamps to illuminate their path. They followed Louie down a long row of trailers before stopping at one in particular. The other Lucario knocked on the door, and after a startled yelp and some shuffling about the door opened to reveal Rena in a nightgown.

"Oh, hi Louie, I wasn't expecting you…" Rena then noticed Alex and Lucario and added, "Wait, what are those two doing with you?"

" _Rena, the Lucario knows,"_ Louie said. _"Even if he doesn't tell his trainer, he can talk to other people. If we're going to ask them to keep your secret, I think we might as well show them."_

For a moment, Rena couldn't decide on looking surprised, angry, upset, indignant, or frightened. The gamut of emotions the actress went through was rather impressive. She settled on annoyed resignation and sighed. "Okay, fine...come on in then…" She stepped aside to let the two Lucario, the Purrloin, and an exceptionally confused Alex into her trailer. She shut the door, locked it, closed the blinds, ran around the trailer and closed all the _other_ blinds, and returned to her "guests". She didn't look nearly as confident or composed as she was earlier that day.

Rena squirmed nervously under the patient gaze of her audience. "Do…do I really have to do this?" she asked Louie. "I mean, he seems like a smart kid, maybe a little crazy, but I'm sure a verbal explanation would be more than enough to—"

Louie punched Rena in the arm as softly as he could. Before their eyes, the image of Rena Kuro shattered like a broken mirror, leaving something else in its place. It stood upright at about five feet tall. Its fur was black as midnight and its claws blood red. Bright teal eyes stared flabbergasted from a foxlike head, and a large mane of dark fur much like Rena's hair flowed from the top into a ponytail at the base of its hips, tied by a teal orb.

Moments ago stood Rena Kuro; in her place stood a flustered-looking Zoroark.

Alex's jaw dropped. "What."

The Zoroark promptly turned around and smacked Louie across the face as hard as she could. "You rotten son of a bitch—you know I _hate it_ when you do that!"

 _You were taking too long_ , he replied. The Zoroark glared daggers at the Lucario, who huffed and said, _Fine,_ I'm sorry _. Won't happen again, promise!_

Alex was still slack-jawed. "You're…a Zoroark…" he said lamely.

Said Zoroark faced him and slowly nodded. "I am."

A moment of silence. "Is Rena an actual human, or is she just somebody you made up?"

"Second one," she replied. "But my name actually _is_ Rena."

"Huh..." Well, that made…certain thoughts and opinions of his favorite actress rather awkward. Brushing aside uncomfortable realizations, he asked, "So, um…what made you decide to pretend to be human anyway…?"

Rena let out a long, heavy sigh. "You might as well sit down; it's kind of a long story." Alex and Lucario did so, Purrloin hopped into Alex's lap, and Rena and Louie remained standing. "It all started when I was a little Zorua, traveling with my family across the Unova region. One day, we stopped in Nimbassa and spent a day exploring the city. I don't know if you've ever been, but Nimbassa is _gorgeous_ ; all the lights and color and signs and people—it's almost like a giant playground!" She closed her eyes and basked in the pleasant memory. "That night, we snuck into one of the Pokemon Musicals. I remember seeing all the different pokemon, dressed up and performing, and something just _clicked_. From that day, I knew I wanted to be a performer, have audiences cheering for me, crowds of adoring fans flocking to me, calling out my name—"

 _In case you can't tell, she's kind of a narcissist,_ Louie said playfully.

Rena looked annoyed. "Shut it dog breath. Anyway, I talked to my parents about it. They didn't really like the idea at first, but I was determined. After a while, they suggested if I really wanted to be a performer I should consider acting. It made sense—my species are natural masters of illusion. In a way, we're already 'born' actors to begin with. So, I started watching humans. I learned how they moved, how they ate, how they talk..."

"How do you do that anyway?" Alex cut in. "I can tell it's not telepathy, and your mouth moves when you speak."

Rena gave a toothy grin. "My 'illusions' aren't really such in the normal meaning of the word. They're kind of like constructs made of light—they're physically there, but they're fragile. One good hit from anything and the illusion shatters." She pointed to her throat with a clawed finger. "Using that, I can alter how air passes through my throat and mimic human speech. It took a lot of practice, but I eventually pulled it off."

Lucario nodded approvingly. _Impressive,_ he projected.

"Thank you," Rena replied. "Once I perfected my disguise, I auditioned for a part in _Samurai Suicuine_. Mr. Stu Deeoh was so impressed that he gave me the leading part. After the film did well he kept asking me to come back for other roles, and…well, I guess the rest is history."

Alex nodded and contemplated the Zoroark's story. Then he pointed to Louie and asked "So, how'd he get wrapped up in this?"

Rena looked to Louie, who was all smiles. "The same way your Lucario found out I guess; he used his aura-thing to figure out I wasn't human." She smiled and pulled the shorter pokemon in with one arm. "I'm really glad he did though. After I told him my story, he agreed to keep it a secret and make sure nobody else found out, or if they did that they'd keep the secret too. I don't know where I'd be without him." She softly scratched his head with the other arm, and Louie's leg twitched again. Alex and Lucario shared a look.

Rena stopped and Louie became deathly serious. _So now that you guys know, you'll keep her secret right?_ Please _say yes, you have no idea how much this means to her!_

The three looked at each other, then back to the two pokemon. All three smiled and Alex said "Don't worry, your secret's safe with us!"

Both pokemon breathed a sigh of relief, and Rena was first to speak. "Thank you. Like Louie said, this means a lot to me and I really appreciate it."

"It's no problem, really," Alex assured, "but did you really have to go through so much trouble? I mean, if you wanted to act so badly would Mr. Stu Deeoh really have cared if you were a Zoroark?"

"To be honest, I wasn't sure," Rena answered. "A pokemon that can talk and wants to act; even I have to admit it's a little strange."

 _Not to mention it's rare for a pokemon to have the starring role in a movie,_ Louie added. _Sure, pokemon like me are used in movies as fighters or side characters, sometimes villains, but never the stars. I think it has something to do with humans empathizing more with other humans than with pokemon._

Rena agreed. "I didn't want to risk being turned down, so I invented a human persona to use. But now that I've gone with the deception this long…"

Lucario nodded. _I understand. You're afraid of how the public will react and how it will affect your career._

Rena and Louie agreed. Alex frowned and said, "You can't keep up the lie forever. What happens if someone else finds out your secret? Or if you get hit too hard somewhere and your illusion pops?"

Rena held up her hands helplessly. "If any of that ever does happen, then I guess I just deal with whatever comes next. Until then, I'd like to avoid it as long as I can." She shrugged and looked to Louie. "Maybe they'd keep me on as a stunt pokemon with Louie. My illusions ought to be useful for special effects. It wouldn't be as fun as acting, but at least I'd still be entertaining people..." She looked at her clock and noticed what time it was. "It's getting late though; maybe you should head back to your trailer?"

Alex nodded and stood up. Lucario and Purrloin followed suit. "Just so you know you're still one of my favorite actors" he said. "Finding out that you're a Zoroark was a bit of a, um... _surprise_ , but I guess being able to fool everyone like that just shows how talented you are."

Rena thanked him with a smile and they all said their goodbyes. Alex, Lucario, and Purrloin left and started walking back to their trailer. It was a beautiful, cloudless night. The young trainer observed that there was a full moon in the sky. Figures; the weird stuff always happened during a full moon. A cool breeze blew across the complex and made the blonde-haired trainer shiver.

A random thought crossed Alex's mind and formed into a question. "Hey Lucario, what are wild pokemon like?"

The Aura pokemon stopped walking and regarded the human quizzically. _What prompted that?_

Alex shrugged. "I'm just curious all of the sudden. A wild Zoroark pretending to be a human so she can become an actress; it's not something I imagine a lot of wild pokemon normally want to do."

Lucario nodded. _I see… Well, to start, wild pokemon have all sorts of different interests. Playing, talking, exploring, sparring, training...honestly, it just depended on the individual. Almost all of them are curious about humans._ The aura pokemon chuckled. _You'd be surprised how often they argued about what humans were like. A lot of them are scared of being captured and stay as far away as possible. Most of the pokemon you see near cities or routes are either unafraid, naturally curious, want to fight a trainer's pokemon as a test of strength, or are looking for a trainer of their own._

" _Lucky for you two, I deemed you worthy"_ Purrloin meowed smugly. She tried to climb on top of Lucario's head, but unfortunately the blue jackal could handle her scratches better than Alex and flung her off. She settled for climbing back onto Alex instead, much to his chagrin.

The blonde trainer sighed and resigned himself to let the purple cat doze on his head. "It's kind of weird," he said. "The way you describe wild pokemon…they almost sound like people."

Lucario raised a brow. _What did you think we were like?_ he asked.

Alex shrugged. "I don't know. I mean, I never thought pokemon were just animals or anything. Amy—my dad's Ampharos—was always smarter than most people realized and really good at getting her point across with expressions and movement." Alex folded his arms and thought for a moment. "It's just…I've always thought of pokemon as just being 'different' to humans; more wild and chaotic I guess. But Louie and Rena…they act like normal people."

 _It's true, it's not normal behavior for a pokemon,_ Lucario admitted. _In my experience, wild pokemon are a bit more aggressive than pokemon raised or tamed by trainers. I guess in a way your species rubs off on us._ He considered something for a moment and asked, _Is that why you haven't tried to catch me; because I'm like Louie and Rena?_

Alex mulled over the question. "That's part of it. At first it was mostly because you said didn't want to be, and I couldn't even if I wanted to. Then you told me you had a trainer, and it was because it wouldn't be right to take a pokemon that belonged to somebody else…" The trainer's words trailed off into thought for a moment before returning again. "Now though, after what you told me that night at the Pokemon Center, it just…feels wrong." Lucario tilted his head curiously and Alex struggled to find the right way to express his thoughts. "My dad always forced me into doing what he felt was best. 'Go get this job, it'll be a good experience for you.' 'No, don't do that, it's not something you can do.' I feel like if I tried to capture you now, I'd be restraining you like he did me. It…just doesn't seem right, and now I wouldn't do it unless you asked me to."

Lucario seemed confused. _I appreciate the thought, but you do realize being a pokemon trainer means capturing pokemon and doing just that to them, right?_

Alex shrugged helplessly. "I'd never really thought about it that way before. Like I said, you're different from most pokemon and it's kind of something I never realized until...well, just now I guess…" He reached above his head and started scratching Purrloin, eliciting a content purr from the purple cat. "I guess I'm lucky the first pokemon I caught _wanted_ me to catch her. It's something I'll be thinking about for all the other pokemon I meet."

Lucario smiled. _You know…you're not like all the other humans I've met_ , he said. _Most humans are_ nice _to pokemon, but you're the first I've met that seems to actually care about what we think. I…actually really appreciate that…_ He then noticed something out of the corner of his eye and turned to face it. _Alex, who's that over there?_ he said with a paw pointed in the person's general direction.

Alex looked and saw a tall man with fiery red hair on the other side of the lot. He wore a black jacket, tan pants, black boots, a bright red shirt, and some sort of black…visor _thing_. He didn't look like any of the employees Alex met that day, and the fact it was so late at night seemed suspicious.

Lucario closed his eyes and examined the man with aura-sight. _That man's aura feels very weird. It's just..._ unpleasant, _and sinister. I don't think he's up to anything good._

Alex agreed. "He does seem kind of suspicious. I don't think he works here, and I have a feeling he's not a guest either. You'd think if he was here to steal something, he wouldn't be dressed in something that flashy..." His mind concocted a variety of different explanations , but none were reassuring. The man turned a corner and started walking through the rows of trailers, roughly heading in the direction they just came from. Something told them the man was headed towards Rena's trailer. "I think we should follow him and see what he does."

Lucario shook his head. _Alex, we don't know who he is or what he's up to, and if he spots you we don't know how he'll react. Let me follow him while you go get the guards, I'm smaller and faster and less likely to be seen._

Alex considered that and agreed. Lucario silently took off after the man and Alex ran to the guard house. Purrloin, sensing her trainer's urgency, leapt from her perch and ran alongside him. The trailers were on the western-most portion of Pokestar Studios, so it took them several minutes to run all the way to the front entrance. As they approached a small building, two guards opened the door. They flinched when they saw Alex, but he was too frenzied to notice.

"Guards…strange man…headed towards trailer…Rena…please help…" Alex said between gasps for air. The two guards said nothing and just stared at him, and their inaction made him angry. When Alex caught his breath, he spoke to the guards more sternly. "Didn't you hear what I said? There's a strange guy I don't think works here running around and he's headed towards Rena Kuro's trailer. I know it doesn't sound like an emergency, but Lucario sensed he wants to do something really bad so please come with me and…and…"

Behind the guards, through the open door, and in the corner of the wall sat two unconscious men stripped of their clothing. His eyes widened. His heartbeat quickened into a frantic pounding. Every drop of blood turned to ice. The two guards—imposters—looked at each other and shared a wicked, knowing grin. They reached to their belts and pulled out a pokeball apiece. A Gengar and a Gliscor emerged in a flash of light.

Alex had only one response. "Oh _shit._ "

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Evil cliffhangers, away! _Mwahaha!_

Fun Fact: this is the first chapter of the fic that didn't have a fight scene at some point. Huh.

Fun fact the second: much like Alex and Lucario's conversation in chapter three, Alex's reaction to Rena was a _bitch_ to write. Again, it ties into my poor habit of having characters overreact and having to reign myself in. I was originally going to do a "What Measure is a Pokemon?"-type of discussion between them, but decided I can't really justify the moral mess of capturing sentient creatures and making them fight each other. You can still see a little of it between Alex and Lucario during their post-Rena-reveal discussion, but it's toned down significantly from what was originally there.

My normal head-cannon while playing the games is that the pokemon world is really dangerous and that humanity is justified capturing and taming the super-smart, Jurassic-Park-Raptor-esque monstrosities that jump out of the tall grass pissing fire and crapping lightning. I think it fits well with the games, and treating the pokemon as something as smart as humans, but distinctly _not_ human in behavior, I think makes the world a bit more palatable. At least for people like me that overthink this shit.


	7. Real Threat

**Chapter 7: Real Threat**

* * *

Lucario followed from a distance, using his aura-sight to look around before moving from cover to cover. The man came from a different direction, but just as suspected he seemed to be walking towards Rena's trailer. Well, _sauntering_ was more appropriate. Lucario didn't know how thieves or muggers or other criminals felt while actually committing their crimes, but he imagined most weren't as _calm_ as this guy was. It was rather unnerving when juxtaposed with his unsettling aura.

Every now and then, his target would look around and Lucario had to quickly duck behind cover. He thought he felt a twinge of surprise at one point, but the feeling dissipated as soon as it came. Eventually, the man stopped in front of Rena's trailer. Lucario readied himself from behind the next trailer over. He could tell via aura that Louie was still inside, probably talking to Rena about earlier that night, and decided to trust Louie's abilities and launch a surprise attack if necessary. The man raised his hand and gently knocked on the door. A pause and the Lucario answered.

As soon as the door opened, the man pulled out some sort of pistol and fired. A metal spike sank into his skin, and suddenly Louie was wreathed in crackling electricity. He went limp and was easily pushed aside by the man, who unclipped a pokeball and threw it inside the trailer.

Lucario gasped and ran out of hiding, but a giant pillar of concrete knocked him off his feet. Before he could get up, he had to roll out of the way as another pillar came down where his head used to be. Lucario quickly jumped to his feet and saw the hulking frame of a Conkeldurr bearing down at him, a pillar of concrete in each hand.

The man turned to face him, confident his other pokemon could keep Rena at bay for the moment. "About time you came out of hiding," he said smugly. "You might have snuck up on any other ol' Joe, but luckily I've got this visor that lets me see sneaky-fucks trying to get the drop on me." He tapped the dark piece of glass and issued a final command to his pokemon. "Conkeldurr, _smash_."

* * *

Alex couldn't have run any harder or faster if he tried. Behind him, the Gengar and Gliscor released by the thugs lobbed Shadow Balls and Toxic globs at him respectively, and he flinched whenever the heat of a ghostly explosion whiffed his skin or blobs of purple sludge flew past. Purrloin ran beside him, occasionally pausing to use Copycat and throw their pursuers' attacks back at them, but Gengar would either intercept the poison or Gliscor would use Protect and deflect the Shadow Ball with a bright green shield of energy.

The ankle brace made running difficult, and were it not for fear and adrenaline the pain would have been unbearable. But this was a matter of survival, and in times of crisis the human mind had ways of compartmentalizing these things. Physics, however, was free to do as it pleased, and the bulk of the brace caused Alex to stumble and fall face-first.

Gliscor seized the opportunity and launched the largest glob of Toxic it could muster. Alex had enough time to turn and see the attack coming, but not enough to get out of the way. Purrloin leaped in front of him and took the attack, which coated her in toxic goo and knocked her away. "Purrloin!" Alex yelled as he scrambled to his feet.

The purple cat stood up and tried to reorient herself, but the poison was already taking its toll. Alex immediately scooped Purrloin into a protective hug and turned to face the other two pokemon. He was backed against a wall, trapped. The Gengar's sinister grin somehow became even more terrifying, and with a bone-chilling laugh it charged a Shadow Ball. Alex held his pokemon tighter and readied himself for the worst.

"Sigilyph, use Light Screen!" A protective barrier of psychic energy appeared and shielded Alex from the blast. A multi-colored bird which looked more like a living totem than flesh-and-blood descended from above and stared down the living shadow and hovering scorpion-bat. It immediately launched two powerful beams of psionic energy and blew away the attacking pokemon. To the young trainer's immense relief, Donny ran up and offered him a hand. "You alright Alex?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Alex answered, "but Purrloin isn't. The Gliscor hit her with Toxic and she's not handling it well."

Donny nodded and reached into his pockets. "Here, use this," he said, handing Alex a small spray bottle. "It's a Full Heal, it'll cure the poison." Alex nodded and promptly sprayed Purrloin with the healing elixir. The purple cat convulsed, shook herself, and became livelier than before. "So, what's goin' on here?" Donny asked. "I'd just finished doin' some late-night work with the stunt 'mons, and then I saw you out the window dodging a Shadow Ball. I already called the cops and they should get here soon."

"Long story short, two guys knocked out the security guards and stole their uniforms, and there's a third walking around the trailers. We saw the third guy and I went to get the guards while Lucario went to—" Alex realized Lucario was by himself, and that if the third guy had pokemon as strong as the imposters'... "I'm sorry, but I need to go!"

The blonde trainer took off running, oblivious to Donny's yelling. "Alex, hold on a minute! Wait until the cops get here. _Alex!"_ A Shadow Ball blocked by Sigilyph's Light Screen stole his attention, and Donny realized the Gengar and Gliscor were recovered and ready for another round. Donny scowled and reached for his belt. "Oh, so ya'll want ta' play dirty, huh?" he spat as every pokeball he had on hand was unclipped. "Well don't ya' worry, _I can play dirty…_ "

* * *

Satisfied that his Conkeldurr could handle the other Lucario, he returned his attention to the dark-haired woman cowering under the fiery glare of his Arcanine. The large orange-and-stripped canine growled with a crème-colored maw, and the poacher grinned sadistically. "You know, you might as well drop the act," he said. Rena regarded him with a look that was somewhere between terrified and confused, and the red-haired poacher elaborated, "I know _what_ you are. I've got to say, the whole being a Zoroark thing is kind of a bummer, but I'm sure my aching heart will be soothed by the metric shit-ton of cash I was paid to capture you."

Much like her illusion, Rena's fear dissipated and turned into determined fury. With a vicious growl, she launched a beam of pulsating dark energy and flung the Arcanine against the wall of the trailer. The Dark Pulse made Arcanine flinch, and Rena immediately threw herself through the window and ran.

The poacher frowned, waited for his pokemon to recover, and pointed out the window. "Arcanine, _fetch._ " The striped beat snarled and leapt through the shattered window, then shot forward in an extreme burst of speed. He immediately intercepted the fleeing Zoroark and launched a potent Flamethrower, which Rena barely managed to dodge. Before she could react, something cold and metallic stuck into her back and her world became sizzling pain. The Zoroark buckled and collapsed to the ground, residual electricity dancing off her body, as the poacher sauntered towards her. "You didn't think you'd get away that easy, did you?" he asked as he twirled the specially-made Taser around his trigger finger. "I'm pretty damn good at what I do, and it'll take more than a sneak attack to stop—"

120 pounds of blue fur and irony hit like a semi and knocked the poacher off his feet. His visor shattered and blurry vision meant he probably had a concussion, but he was of sound-enough mind to glare at his attacker. Louie ignored him and ran to Rena, but was intercepted by a flamethrower and then a large Arcanine that stood between them. The poacher stood up on shaky legs and spat blood out of his mouth. "Arcanine," he spat venomously, " _play._ "

* * *

Lucario jumped into the air, narrowly dodging the wide swing of a huge concrete pillar. Fortunately for him, Coneldurr were notoriously slow. This meant dodging the large blocks of concrete was relatively easy. _Unfortunately_ , however, Conkeldurr could learn Mach Punch, which this one demonstrated by suddenly sprinting forward and launching a punch faster than the Aura pokemon could react. The attack connected while he was midair, and Lucario found himself tumbling for what was probably the third or fourth time since the fight began. He barely had the state-of-mind to recognize and dodge another pillar of concrete swung at him in a devastatingly powerful Hammer Arm attack. The vaguely clown-esque monstrosity hoisted the concrete with little effort, and the blue jackal saw the crater left by the blow.

Lucario winced and realized his current strategy wasn't working. The Conkeldurr swung one of his pillars again, and the Aura pokemon decided to try and disarm his opponent. He caught the pillar mid-swing, knees buckling under the tremendous force, and smashed it to pieces with a potent Force Palm. The sudden lack of weight made Conkeldurr stumble, but Lucario was too hurt to react properly and Conkeldurr quickly regained himself. Clutching his remaining pillar like a bat, he swung at the Aura pokemon and knocked him away like a blue-furred baseball. Lucario struggled with shaky limbs to pick himself back up and realized just how not-hurt his opponent was.

"Lucario!" Both pokemon turned their heads towards the voice of a blonde-haired teenager running towards them. Lucario saw the look in Conkeldurr's eyes and gasped. The muscled monstrosity used Mach Punch and rushed Alex, intending to pulverize him. Lucario roared and used Bullet Punch, his superior speed allowing him to intercept, and hit Conkeldurr full-force. He then followed up with a barrage of Ice Punches, before finishing with the strongest High Jump Kick he could muster. Conkeldurr was sent flying and landed with a loud _thwump_ , and Lucario collapsed to the ground, energy spent and gasping for breath.

… _Alex…are you okay?_ the blue jackal asked.

Conkeldurr's attack startled him, but Alex shook it off and focused on the situation at hand. "I'm fine Lucario. Hold still, I have some Super Potions for you." He kneeled and pulled the medicine out of his bag—grabbed from their trailer on the way over—and sprayed Lucario with generous amounts of the healing elixir. "That guy we saw had friends, and they knocked out and impersonated the guards. They sent some pokemon after me, and then Donny—" Alex realized he'd left Donny by himself. He'd be fine, he had all the stunt pokemon to help plus the police were coming, and Alex would have time to feel guilty later. "Anyway, is Rena okay?"

 _I don't know,_ Lucario answered. _That guy used some kind of Taser on Louie and then sent a pokemon inside the trailer. Before I could do anything, the Conkeldurr jumped me and we started fighting._ On cue, the burly pokemon groaned and slowly got back on its feet. He looked at the rejuvenated Lucario and bellowed, slamming his concrete pillar into the ground.

Purrloin hissed and ran towards him, catching her two team mates by surprise. With a roar, Conkeldurr hefted his concrete pillar and swung it down with tremendous force. The attack connected and burst what turned out to be a Substitute clone. Before the burly monstrosity could comprehend what happened, he heard a taunting meow and turned just in time to see Purrloin leap above his head. Paws glowing, she launched her own Copycat-enabled Hammer Arm and hit Conkeldurr as hard as she could.

The attack stunned him, and Lucario capitalized on it by rushing forward and hitting him with an Ice Punch. Purrloin used Copycat to do the same, and for a while both pokemon ran back and forth hitting Conkeldurr with alternating attacks, keeping him perpetually stunned and battering him down. Then Lucario ran towards him, hoisted up the larger pokemon by the waist, and with a great deal of effort launched him into the air with dual Force Palms. Purrloin leapt into his arms, and the Aura pokemon threw her as high as he could. Right before gravity began to pull him downward, Conkeldurr saw Purrloin above him, both palms glowing with wispy blue aura. She used the first Force Palm to launch herself downwards, and then fired off the second the moment she made contact with her foe. The combined momentum amplified the force of the blow, and Conkeldurr landed with a mighty crash into the ground below.

Purrloin landed gracefully and approached the small crater created by her attack. Lucario and Alex did likewise, and to their immense relief they saw that Conkeldurr had _finally_ fainted. _"He's not getting back up anytime soon,_ " Purrloin purred smugly.

Before they could celebrate, a ball of fire exploded behind Rena's trailer. The trio ran as fast as they cold, and arrived just in time to see an Arcanine—cloaked in fire—body slam Louie and send him sprawling to the ground. Not too far away was the man dressed in black and red, bloodied up and a little woozy but otherwise okay. Louie struggled to get to his feet, but couldn't find the strength to do so and collapsed. The man smirked, satisfied, but it was short lived when he noticed the angry glares of Lucario, Purrloin, and Alex.

"Alright, just who the hell are you!?" Alex yelled. Lucario crouched into a fighting stance and growled, and Purrloin raised her hackles and hissed viciously.

Arcanine growled and readied himself to pounce, but his master waved him off. "Piss off kid; I'm in the middle of something here. Go play with your toys and leave this to the adults."

His dismissive attitude did little to placate the blonde-haired trainer. Alex then noticed Rena's illusion was gone and realized why the man was at Pokestar Studios. "I don't know how you found out about her, but we're not going to let you capture that Zoroark! We took down your Conkeldurr, and we'll take down your Arcanine too!"

The man started laughing. "You'll fucking _what_? Look, maybe you took down the big lug by his self, but you can't beat the rest of my team. Seriously, last warning, get lost before you _become_ lost." The man nonchalantly turned away and reached into his pockets. He pulled out an Ultra Ball, white on bottom, black with yellow stripes stylized into a "U" on top, and chucked it at Rena. She disappeared in a flash of light and the ball fell to the floor. It rolled once…twice…three times…and _clicked._

Alex paled. This man had just _captured_ Rena! He knew the police were on the way, but the man didn't; somehow he had to stall him. "Who are you? How did you find out about Rena? Why do you want to capture her in the first place?"

The man's smirk grew even wider, and his green eyes seemed to dance gleefully. "I don't see any reason to give you my name, but I like watching you squirm so I'll at least tell you this. I'm a Pokemon Poacher, and one of the best damned ones in the business. My little group specializes in finding the rarest and most valuable monsters in the world and securing them for our clients." He motioned towards Rena's ball and added, "Someone caught wind of her little façade and decided she would be a neat addition to their collection. They paid me a fuck-ton of cash to capture her, so here I am." Suddenly, the poacher's smirk became predatory. "Now that you know what you're fucking with, why don't you leave?" He contemplated something. "On second thought, don't—I think I just might take that Lucario off your hands..."

The threat was interrupted by the flashing lights and loud sirens of a half-dozen police officers arriving at the front gate. The poacher raised an eyebrow, and now it was Alex's turn to smirk. "Yeah, that's right, we found your buddies up front and called the police," Alex said smugly.

The poacher growled something about idiots and made to grab the Ultra Ball. Alex yelled for Lucario to stop him, but Arcanine leapt in front and kept him at bay with Flamethrower. Alex wanted to help him, but he saw the poacher bend down and reach for Rena…

Alex jumped on the poacher's back and started punching him as hard as he could. The poacher yelled, cursing and flailing, but the young trainer held firm. Purrloin ran up to him and sunk her teeth into the poacher's ankle and he promptly kicked the purple cat as hard as he could. He finally got a hold of Alex and threw him onto the ground. He pulled out his Taser and aimed it at Alex's heart. "You know, this thing's got enough juice to incapacitate a Raichu" the poacher said through clinched teeth, face contorted into a wicked and sadistic grin. "I've always wondered what it would do to a person. _Why don't we find out?_ "

A beam of pulsating dark energy hit the poacher and knocked him off his feet. He landed with a painful _thud_ and wearily looked at his assailants. Rena, panting but absolutely furious, stood beside an equally pissed-off Purrloin. When the poacher had kicked her away, she landed by Rena's Ultra Ball and managed to release the Zoroark from her prison.

It didn't matter if the redheaded human could understand her or not; Purrloin hissed at the poacher and yelled, _"Hands off my trainer!"_ She then used Copycat and launched her own Dark Pulse, which hit true and sent the poacher sprawling even further away.

The poacher _barely_ managed to pick himself up. Off in the distance, he could see a group of people—likely the police—running towards them with an assortment of different pokemon. He hated to admit it, but there was too many of them and he was too beat up to fight; It was time to cut his losses. "Arcanine, _heel!_ " The Arcanine immediately disengaged Lucario and ran to his master, who promptly returned him as soon as possible. He released a large Aerodactyl and yelled, "Get me out of here, _now!_ " The poacher climbed on the back of the ancient dinosaur and took to the sky, making sure to stop and return his downed Conkeldurr before disappearing into the night.

The police finally arrived. "Hey kid, are you okay?" one of the older officers asked. Alex didn't answer; he was still on the ground, staring where the poacher had been. He'd almost died…that man had a weapon pointed at him and was going to kill him. He was going to kill him, take Rena, take Lucario, and get away. His adrenaline rush was gone, and suddenly his body started shaking and convulsing. Alex doubled over and puked, and kept puking for several minutes. The officer called for aid, and soon paramedics helped him up and to an ambulance. He was going into shock, they explained. They put a blanket over him, did a quick medical examination, and did their best to make him comfortable.

Alex wasn't really paying attention. He remembered being asked a bunch of questions—what happened, could he give a description of the culprits, did he know what they were after?—and Alex slowly and methodically answered them all as best he could. He heard them ask the same questions to the others, and soon the police had the whole story.

About that time Stu Deeoh arrived, ranting and raving and demanding answers to a slew of questions. "Okay, _what is going on!?_ What happened, where's Rena Kuro, and why the _hell_ is there a Zoroark here!?"

Said Zoroark looked at the ground and nervously explained that _she_ was Rena Kuro. To his credit, the owner of Pokestar Studios took the shocking news in great stride. She explained herself a second time, at one point she demonstrated by briefly re-applying her disguise before dropping the illusion again. When Rena finished, she regarded her boss with worried eyes. "Now that you know…what happens now?"

"What happens now…?" he said. There was a dramatic pause, and Rena closed her eyes and prepared for the worst. "What happens _now_ —"the purple-clad man rushed and scooped the Zoroark into a hug "—is we make the best movies that Unova has ever _seen!_ "

Rena wheezed under Stu Deeoh's surprisingly strong grip. "Y-you mean you're _not_ going to fire me?" she asked.

Stu Deeoh released his hold and regarded the Zoroark incredulously. "Fire you!? _Are you nuts!?_ Get rid of one of my best actresses? _Dahling_ , please, I don't give a Ratata's _ass_ what you are!" He shook his head and made a _tsk, tsk_ sound. "Besides, you're a Zoroark who knows how to act. With your talents, you could literally play _any_ part imaginable. Do you have any idea how valuable that is!?"

The Zoroark tilted her head and scratched nervously. "Aren't you worried about the backlash when they find out 'Rena Kuro' isn't even human?"

Stu Deeoh chuckled good-naturedly. "Rena, dahling, you shouldn't worry about other people. True, I'm running a business, but in my line of work I've learned that if the movie is good enough, the rest will fall into place. Sometimes art is about having the courage to create something in spite of what other people think." He waved his hand dismissively and added, "You just leave everything to me, and it'll work out in the end."

Rena couldn't believe what she was hearing. She tearfully hugged Stu Deeoh and thanked him for his understanding. Off to the side, Louie let out a huge sigh of relief. Lucario walked up behind him and patted his fellow pokemon on the shoulder. _"It looks like you did all that worrying for nothing,"_ he spoke.

Louie shrugged. _"I'll admit it, I'm kind of surprised at how well Stu Deeoh is taking this. Maybe I didn't give him enough credit."_

Lucario chuckled. _"I know how you feel. When I first met Alex, I underestimated him and it ended up biting me in the tail."_

Louie nodded but decided he wanted to elaborate. _"It's not that I think humans don't care,"_ he said, " _I just don't think most would understand_ why _a pokemon would want something like this. But your trainer, Donny, Mr. Stu Deeoh…I guess they're not your normal humans."_

Lucario agreed and looked at Alex. He was still wrapped in a blanket, staring blankly into space and not really moving. _"I wish I could have done more tonight, then maybe you and everyone else wouldn't have been in as much danger…"_

Louie lightly punched his shoulder. _"Don't sweat it. You did plenty."_ He folded his arms and continued, _"Without you, that poacher guy would have sic'd both his Arcanine_ and _his Conkeldurr on me. Then Rena would have been captured for sure."_ The other Lucario became flustered and added, _"Seriously though, thank you for saving her. I…I don't know what I would do if I lost her…"_

Lucario smiled, but considered something for a moment. _"If you want to thank me, how about you teach me Aura Sphere? I think it's time that I learned how to use that move."_

Louie seemed shocked. _"You don't know how to use Aura Sphere? Oh, oh_ hell _no, this cannot stand!" The other Lucario smiled and held out both paws to demonstrate. "Okay, so the first thing you have to do is gather up your aura and…"_

Purrloin, who listened to the whole affair with mild disinterest, decided at that point to saunter over to her shell-shocked trainer. She meowed and batted his leg with a forepaw, but he didn't move. She frowned slightly and started rubbing against him, purring loudly, but it had no effect. She decided to be even more direct and jumped into his lap, using a paw to lightly swat him on the face, but he quickly brushed her aside and told her to stop. Purrloin locked dejected and meowed sadly.

"Y'know, I think she's trying to get your attention doofus." Alex looked up at the owner of this new voice, a short woman a handful of years older than him with white hair andtealeyes. She wore a purple and teal striped sweatshirt that was one-size-too-big, a pair of shorts, and black boots with one toe teal and the other purple. Her hair was wild and all over the place, even the part fashioned into a ponytail towards the top. He got the impression she was part of a rock band of some kind, and she had the attitude to match.

"Sorry," he said meekly, promptly picking up Purrloin and petting her. "I just…I've got a lot on my mind."

"I'd imagine," the young rock-punk-looking woman replied before holding out a hand. "The name's Roxie. I'm Virbank City's gym leader. These bozos here didn't bother to call me until _after_ the perp got away. Honestly, police these days…" She huffed indignantly but quickly became serious. "They told me what happened, and I thought maybe you might need to talk about it."

Alex shook her hand, regarding Roxie with more respect than before, and shrugged helplessly. "What's there to talk about?" he said. "Yeah, I managed to save Rena and Louie, but I almost died in the process. If it hadn't been for Purrloin here, he would have stuck me in the heart with that Taser-thing and fried me to a crisp. Not to mention what he might have done to Lucario." He groaned and pulled at his hair. "I was absolutely _useless_ tonight. I almost got killed, my pokemon almost got hurt, I left Donny behind to handle those goons by himself…" Alex grabbed at his hair and groaned. "Maybe my dad was right, and I'm not cut out to be a trainer..."

Roxie leaned over and promptly smacked Alex upside the head.

Alex let out a startled "ow!" and asked, "Is this a thing now!? People smacking me upside the head?"

The gym leader shrugged. "I dunno, where you whining the other times too?" Alex looked viciously indignant and Roxie folded her arms. "Don't give me that look! That's what you're doing right now—whining!"

"I almost _died!_ " Alex shouted incredulously. "How exactly is freaking out about that _whining!?_ "

"It's not," Roxie answered nonchalantly, "but having a little pity-party over what might have been _is._ " She unfolded her arms and placed a hand on her hip. "Look—Alex, I think they said your name was?—I'm not telling you to just get over what happened tonight. But I'm not letting you beat yourself up either!" She pointed to Purrloin. "You see your pokemon? She's your _partner_. That means that you're a team, and that you help each other out no matter what. Sometimes you give more than you take, and sometimes it's the other way around, but in the end it doesn't matter. I don't know what's going on with you and your dad, but it's obvious that Purrloin likes you, so you're doing _something_ right as a trainer."

As if to prove the point, Purrloin started purring and rubbing against Alex's chest. The blonde boy smiled and softly stroked her fur and scratched behind her ears. Purrloin approved and mewed happily.

Roxie smiled. "See? Besides, you _weren't_ useless. You kept that poacher from running off with the other pokemon. Same goes for finding the two fake guards and helping your Lucario win against the Conkeldurr." She sat beside Alex and placed a hand on his shoulder. "You're a trainer, right? Look, if you're going to give up, at least let me whoop you in a gym battle first. I'd rather you quit because of that instead of quitting because you're too scared of the world. If nothing else, you owe your pokemon that much."

Alex looked at Lucario, talking to Louie, and remembered their deal back in Aspertia. Then he looked at the Purrloin in his lap, the one that kept following him and eventually more-or-less let herself be captured. Lucario had faith in him. Purrloin had faith in him. Now he just needed to have faith in them…and in himself. "Thanks…" he said with a small smile. "I think I actually feel a little better now."

Roxie grinned and punched him in the arm playfully. "No problem. Pay me back by stopping by my gym and giving me a good match." She hopped up from her spot and started to walk away. "Don't think that just because you have a cheap-ass steel type that it'll be easy! I didn't become a gym leader for nothing you know!"

Alex smiled, more confident than before. "You can count on it!"

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Okay, so maybe it wasn't "Fight Scene: The Chapter," but there _was_ plenty of action, not to mention Alex having a brief breakdown after his ordeal—as most sane people likely would after a near-death experience.

Fyi, the visor uses infrared. That's how the poacher knew Lucario was tailing him, but was caught off-guard by Louie.


	8. Toxic Shock

**Chapter 8: Toxic Shock**

* * *

The weeks following the break-in at Pokestar Studios were, in a word, hectic. For Rena, it meant constantly being escorted by security, one part in case the poachers came back, two parts to fend of the _mob_ of reporters biting at the chomp to get to the root of the incident. Evidently some of the policeman had loose lips, and soon rumors of her true identity spread across the region like wildfire. Seeing no way out, Rena begrudgingly revealed herself officially at a press conference.

Her fans were… _divided_ in their opinions. Most comments were from young men around Alex's age who expressed lamentations about the "Vixen of Virbank" being a _literal_ vixen. Her career wasn't completely ruined, but it was obvious she would have to work hard to win back her place in the acting world.

The police destroyed Rena's Ultra Ball, just to be safe. She reluctantly agreed to be bound to a Pokeball belonging to Pokestar Studios, on the condition it be given to her for safe keeping. While discussing the fight, Rena pointed out how well Purrloin used Dark Pulse and offered to teach her how to use the move properly. Alex and Purrloin readily agreed. In the meantime, Louie helped Lucario learn Aura Sphere. The blue jackal had difficulty at first, but eventually mastered the move.

Alex mostly kept off his ankle, allowing his sprain to finally heal enough that he no longer needed the ankle brace. He noticed that it took Purrloin longer to use Dark Pulse than it did her other moves. After some experimentation, he realized Purrloin had the ability Prankster, meaning she could use non-attacking moves quicker than most pokemon could use attacking moves. It dawned on him that until now all of her moves were non-attacking, and suddenly how a little Purrloin was able to keep up with and outmaneuver two Lucario made a little more sense. Inspiration struck, and they began working on a new strategy...

In the meantime, the police were far from idle. They arrested and interrogated the men impersonating the guards. Naturally, they initially refused to cooperate, but when the charges started piling up (breaking and entering, assault, attempted murder, attempted kidnapping…) and it became clear no lawyer in the world could combat the mountain of evidence against them, they reluctantly agreed to a plea deal.

The first thing they shared was the scope of their involvement. The plan was relatively simple; replace the guards and let the poacher in after-hours, wait until he captured Rena, then "discover" him and escort him to their getaway van. When asked why the poacher would draw attention to himself like that, the men said he insisted there was no way to do this quietly, especially with Rena being a wild pokemon he would have to battle. Besides, the poacher was a cocky bastard who they suspected enjoyed the limelight.

Which led into arguably the most important piece of information they shared; they'd worked with the poacher before. They knew almost nothing about him, a strictly enforced condition of their on-again-off-again employment, save for the name "Ringo."

As it turned out, Ringo was an alias used by a member of a particularly notorious group of Unovan poachers. Ringo was known to be the most flashy and impractical, but made up for it by being one of their most dangerous and skilled battlers. All things considered, everyone involved had been very lucky.

The police shared this information with Rena, who in turn shared it with Alex. During his stay in Virbank, the young trainer took to visiting her in the afternoon. Rena, relaxing in her natural form, shared a couch with Louie. Alex took the chair opposite them, Lucario leaned against a wall, and Purrloin was curled up in her trainer's lap. Two security guards dutifully patrolled outside, and a third inside stood next to the door.

"You think he'll come back?" Alex asked. "I mean, I'm not trying to make you paranoid or anything, but he _did_ say whoever hired him offered a lot of money."

Rena shrugged helplessly. "I have no clue. The police hope maybe all the extra attention put on me right now will at least deter him, if only for a little while. Then again, he apparently likes attention so who knows what he'll do…"

 _Don't worry Rena,_ Louie assured. _If he ever comes back, I'll be ready for him! I'll knock that Arcanine of his into the next region if I have to!_ Rena smiled and nuzzled against the Lucario's cheek.

Purrloin gagged, decided she was bored, and left her trainer's lap to pester the security guard. She mewed at him, got him to bend down to pet her, and then ran up his arm and promptly sat on his head. He tried to remove her, but decided to leave her be after the third or fourth scratch on his arm.

Lucario glared at her. _You can really be a nuisance, you know that?_ Purrloin responded by sticking out her tongue.

Alex sighed. "Purrloin, leave him alone and come back over here. Please don't make me put you back in the pokeball." Purrloin meowed rather indignantly but obeyed. Rather than hop back into Alex's lap though, she climbed him and sat on top of _his_ head instead. Alex groaned, but decided it was a good enough compromise and allowed it. "Honestly, what am I going to do with you?" he asked while scratching behind her ears.

Rena chuckled. "You know, I just realized something. Neither of your pokemon have nicknames." Alex gave her a confused look and she explained, "I always heard that trainers nicknamed their pokemon. Is there a particular reason you don't? I'm just curious, that's all."

Alex blinked. "I…hadn't really thought about it," he admitted. "I mean, Lucario's not really 'my' pokemon, and I just didn't think of it when I caught Purrloin."

"Not your pokemon…?" Rena was slightly confused. "But…you travel together and train together...doesn't he have a pokeball?"

 _I used to belong to a different trainer and I'm not registered to a pokeball right now,_ Lucario projected. _The short explanation is Alex and I made an agreement to challenge the Unova League together. There's a bit more to it than that, but it's…complicated, and a bit personal for both of us._

"Yeah, what he said." Alex then looked up at Purrloin—at least, the best he could, given where she was—and asked, "Hey Purrloin, now that Rena's mentioned it, what do you think about having a nickname?"

Purrloin mewed inquisitively and mulled over the question. She shrugged and meowed, _"Sure, why not? Be warned though, if you come up with anything stupid I_ will _scratch you."_

Lucario dutifully translated and Alex chuckled. "Fair enough….okay, let's see…" What would he call her? "Well, it's supposed to be a nickname, right? And her name is 'Purrloin'…what about 'Purrly?'"

Two scratches across the face made it clear she did not approve. Rena snickered and Lucario face palmed. _You know,_ Louie said, _normally I'd take your side over hers, but_ that _…that was bad. That was really, really bad…_

Alex rubbed his face—the scratches stung like _hell_ —and grumbled. "Alright, alright, I get it! I suck at nicknames! Maybe I'll think of something later…" He turned to Lucario and asked, "What about you? Do you want me to think up a nickname for you too?"

 _Um,_ no, Lucario said rather bluntly. _After seeing what you came up with for Purrloin, I'm scared what you'd think up for me._

"Bah! Everyone's a critic!" Alex said with an exaggerated wave of the hand. The metaphorical lightbulb dinged and a wide grin spread across his face. "You know, it's a shame because I just thought of a _really_ good one for you." He pretended to think something over and added, "Yeah, in fact, I think it's perfect! From now on I'm going to call you 'Lulu!'"

Lucario did a double-take. Purrloin fell off Alex's head laughing, and it was all Rena and Louie could do not to bust out themselves. _Wha…'Lulu!?' But that's a_ girl's _name! What the hell kind of nickname is that!?_

"So?" Alex replied, careful to appear as serious as possible and not give away the fact he was just teasing. "Guys can have girl names, just like girls can have guy names. Besides, 'Lulu' for 'Lucario'; it's like how 'Alex' is short for 'Alexander.' I think it's a great nickname!"

Lucario became increasingly verklempt. _No, no, no-no-no, and_ no! _You remember the horde of Scoliopede I threatened you with before? Start calling me that, and what I'll do to you will make that look like being tickled by Cottonee!"_

Alex couldn't keep a straight face any longer and burst into laughter. Rena and Louie did so too, and even the guard by the door started chuckling. It finally dawned on the blue jackal that he'd been goaded into overreacting.

Lucario folded his arms and made an effort to look supremely indignant. _Oh ha-ha, just laugh it up…_

* * *

Overall, the group spent almost a month in Virbank. Aside from training, they explored the city, ate at a few restaurants, went to see several movies, and took the time to properly enjoy their stay. Eventually, Alex decided they were ready to face Roxie and booked a challenge for the next day. Despite how hard he worked with Purrloin and knowing Lucario was immune to Roxie's main type, Alex was still a little nervous. Roxie _was_ a gym leader after all, and there was no telling what kind of tricks she'd use in their match.

What concerned him more, however, was how Lucario acted. He'd been acting a little weird the past week to begin with, but when Alex told him they were challenging the gym Lucario suddenly became very nervous and kept to himself even more than usual. It reminded him of how Lucario acted back in Aspertia, right before they challenged Cheren a second time. He tried to ask what was wrong, but Lucario either deflected the question or insisted it was nothing. Eventually, Alex gave up and let him be.

Lucario was up long before Alex the next morning, the latter sprawled across his bed and snoring rather loudly. Purrloin was still in her pokeball and most likely asleep as well. That suited him fine—while he'd grown to tolerate the Devious pokemon's presence, her smug attitude got underneath his skin a lot of the time. The worst part about it was she did it on purpose. He pointed this out to her once, and the purple cat grinned and told him it was all just a game and to lighten up, what did the big mighty Lucario have to prove anyway?

A lot actually... Despite how much stronger he'd gotten, that night he lost to Cheren he felt just as miserable about himself as when he was a Riolu. Then Alex gave him another chance, worked with him and developed a strategy, and then they'd actually _won_. The rush of victory, the way Alex scooped him into his arms and showered him with praise…it felt so _good._ Then Alex's father found them and he witnessed that horrific moment where Alex was disowned. Abandoned, just like him. It wasn't until later that Lucario realized he'd found something he never knew he wanted.

He found someone that _needed_ him, and for once he could actually help.

Lucario absentmindedly walked over and sat at the foot of Alex's bed. He watched the teenager's breathing, chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm, and reflected further on their unique partnership. There was no doubt in his mind Alex considered him a friend; there was no other reason the boy insisted on talking to him so much or including him in everything they did. What about him though? Did _he_ consider Alex a friend…? He knew he _wanted_ to. Alex was nice, mostly selfless, and respected him as an equal.

But what if he wasn't an equal? What if their battle against Cheren was a fluke? What if he wasn't as strong as Alex thought he was? Lucario knew he wouldn't leave him like Ricky did, but in that hypothetical scenario, where he somehow didn't meet expectations, he was afraid Alex would somehow think less of him. He knew that in that scenario, being friends with Alex would mean allowing himself to be hurt. He wanted to open up…but he didn't want to be hurt even more. He wouldn't take the chance.

(Did he even have a choice?)

Lucario tried to take a breath but went into a coughing fit. For a brief moment he panicked, worried he might have woken up Alex. Mercifully, he didn't stir and Lucario allowed himself to relax a little bit. The past week he felt his habitual illness creeping up on him. He couldn't afford to be sick right now and would not succumb to the quiet exhaustion, or the dull ache, or the burning flame of his budding fever. He had a gym battle today. Purrloin might be weaker, but she was highly skilled and he figured her performance would at worst soften up their opponent's team. He refused to let his weakness hold Alex back! Everything would be okay. He would do fine. He was strong enough to win this battle.

He had to win…

…please let him win.

(… _please_ let him be strong enough to win…)

* * *

Alex woke up a few hours after Lucario. A shower, a change of clothes, and a quick breakfast-run later and the three set off south towards the gym. Not that you'd know it was one from the outside; the building was small and unassuming, notable only for its bawdy purple paint among a sea of gray warehouses. However, that was only on the surface; underground was an impressively large and vibrant club and bar, complete with dance floor that also pulled double-duty as the arena for gym challenges.

They stepped inside the small lobby and a secretary confirmed their appointment before leaving to inform Roxie. Lucario took a deep, calming breath and tried to steady his nerves. Alex noticed and placed a hand on the pokemon's shoulder. "Hey, Lucario, calm down buddy. There's no reason to get nervous, okay?"

The Aura pokemon stiffened a little, then relaxed and regarded the boy curiously. _You seem more confident than in Aspertia,_ Lucario observed.

Alex blinked, mentally compared how he felt now to then, and decidedly shrugged. "Well, I wasn't sure if we would win last time, mainly because I wasn't sure I was a good enough trainer. But we did and we've won against everyone we've fought since." A small smile crept across his face. "Between how much we've trained and your poison immunity…I actually feel pretty good about this."

Lucario considered that for a moment. _For the sake of argument, let's say something happens today and we_ do _lose. What would you do then?_

Alex thought it was an odd question, but answered anyway. "I don't know…I guess I'd try to think about why we lost and figure out a plan for next time, just like with Cheren. But seriously though, I know that we'll be fine." He meant for that to put him at ease, but somehow Lucario seemed even _more_ nervous. Alex frowned and crossed his arms. "You've been acting really weird," Alex pointed out. "You know, we don't _have_ to challenge Roxie today if you don't want to. I'm perfectly fine waiting a day or two. It's your call."

Lucario looked up at Alex—saw his face, full of concern—and did his best to smile in a way that seemed reassuring. _No, I'm fine. Sorry, I didn't mean to worry you; it's an old habit, getting nervous like this before a battle. If you're ready, then I'm ready too!_

Alex smiled and patted Lucario's head. The secretary returned and told them Roxie would see him now and wished him good luck. They descended a long, dark staircase and stopped in front of a door. When they opened it, human and pokemon were greeted by a wave of pure, unadulterated _rock_. Up on a stage, Roxie and two other band members played. The music was loud and energetic, brisk in pace and melodious in tone. Just listening to it made Alex excited, and it was likely that was by design.

The song ended, and Roxie looked at Alex with a wide, cocky grin. "So, you finally found the guts to come challenge my gym. _About friggin' time_ , it's been almost a month you know!"

Alex rubbed the back of his head. "I wanted to train Purrloin some. She was kind of a new addition to the team."

Roxie pulled the strap of her guitar off her shoulder. "Oh well, doesn't matter now," she said while gently sitting aside her instrument. "I hope you're ready to give it your all, because I'm gonna' knock the sense outta ya', cheap-ass steel type be damned!"

"You…don't seem to like steel types very much," Alex observed.

Roxie shrugged. "It's not that, I'm just tired a seeing 'em all the time. There's a lot of Magnemite in Virbank Complex, and it seems like every punk that challenges my gym goes there and catches one first." The irony of Roxie, who could be generously described as "punk rocker personified" calling other people punks, was left alone. "Anyway, how many badges you got?" Alex answered "one" and demonstrated Cheren's Basic Badge. Roxie nodded and retrieved three pokeballs from a case behind her. "Alright, listen up! I'll be using three pokemon, and you can use however many you have on your team. We'll both send out our first pokemon at the same time, and after that you can switch freely. The battle continues until one side runs out or _punks_ out. You got all that?"

"Yeah, I got it," Alex said. Roxie grinned and jumped off the stage, and both combatants took their place at opposite ends of the dance floor-turned-battlefield. One of Roxie's band mates took up a position on the side, acting as a referee. Trainer and gym leader readied themselves for the fight ahead.

Roxie pulled out her first pokeball and sent out a Grimer at the same time Alex called out Purrloin. A purple blob of what could only be described as living sludge with eyes and a mouth materialized in a flash of light, and a putrid stench filled the air. Purrloin gagged and Lucario raised a paw to cover his muzzle.

"Alright Grimer, let's open this up with Poison Gas!" Roxie yelled. The blob of sludge rumbled and exhaled a thick purple mist that traveled towards Purrloin. The purple cat leapt away, dodging the cloud of toxin, and fired off a Dark Pulse. The beam pulsated across the field and struck Grimer's center-of-mass, knocking it back a few feet.

"Purrloin, surround Grimer with Double Team, and then use Dark Pulse again!" Purrloin did as Alex instructed and Grimer was encircled by a ring of illusionary copies. She hit Grimer from several different angles, who tried to respond by launching globs of poisonous sludge. Most of the attacks missed, but one managed to strike Purrloin in the face with a wet _plop_. She accidentally swallowed some of it and immediately became ill.

Roxie's eyes widened when she noticed. "Grimer, Purrloin's poisoned! Quick, hit her with Venoshock!" The Grimer rumbled and fired a stream of green liquid. The poison made her more vulnerable than normal and the attack sent Purrloin sprawling across the field.

"Hang in there Purrloin!" Alex called out. Purrloin was weakening, but so was Grimer. Another strong hit would probably finish it off. "Alright, time to show her what we've been working on. Use Dark Pulse again, on the double!"

Purrloin caught the signal and readied another Dark Pulse. Roxie ordered Grimer to use Venoshock and Purrloin purposefully waited until he moved first before launching her attack. The beam of pulsating darkness collided with the stream of green sludge and exploded. Before the dust could settle, a _second_ Dark Pulse ripped through the air and launched Grimer across the floor. The purple glob of sludge landed with a wet _splat_ and promptly fainted.

"What…was that?" Roxie asked as she recalled her Grimer. "How did your Purrloin manage to fire two Dark Pulses so quickly?"

Alex grinned. Copycat worked by using the move _last_ used in a battle. By purposefully waiting for Grimer to go first, Purrloin could use Prankster and Copycat to effectively fire two Dark Pulses at once. No sense telling Roxie though; this _was_ a battle after all. "Sorry, but I'm afraid I'll have to keep that to myself for now."

Roxie grumbled. "Alright, fine, be that way. Koffing, you're up next!" A purple floating sphere emerged in a flash of light, covered in pores which leaked noxious-smelling gases. On its "belly" was a crude skull-and-crossbones, which contrasted with the utterly _delighted_ smile plastered across its face.

"That's…one happy looking pokemon," Alex said to himself. He then noticed Purrloin swaying; the poison was starting to get to her. "Alright Purrloin, that's enough for now," he said while recalling the purple cat with a red beam of light. The pokeball would keep her in stasis, meaning the poison wouldn't cause any more damage than it'd already done. He looked to Lucario, who nodded and promptly stepped into the arena.

Roxie grinned. "Figured you might switch to him. Alright Koffing, you know what to do!" With a toothy smile, the poisonous planetoid flew forward to deliver a full-body tackle. Lucario raised his arms and absorbed the blow easily before replying with an Ice Punch. The blow sent Koffing spinning, and Lucario ran after with another fist coated in glowing ice. The Koffing regained its balance, grinned, and spewed a torrent of red flame right before Lucario attacked. Caught off-guard, he didn't have time to dodge and took the full force of Koffing's Flamethrower.

The attack subsided and Lucario fell to his knees, smoke and heat rippling off his body. He was burned in a few places, making it exceptionally painful to move. "Lucario, are you okay!?" Alex yelled. Lucario gave him a look, and he realized how dumb of a question that was. Koffing prepared another Flamethrower and Lucario promptly dodged. "Lucario, keep your distance and hit him with Aura Spheres. It won't hurt him as much as Ice Punch, but you can't afford to get hit by Flamethrower again!"

Lucario did as instructed and made sure to keep out of range of Koffing's stream of fire. The blue jackal fired off several balls of aura, all of which hit their mark and erupted into blue balls of flame. They individually didn't do much damage, but over time the assault left Koffing battered and struggling to remain in the air.

"Alright, finish it off!" Alex yelled. "Use Bullet Punch, and hit as hard as you can!" Lucario rushed forward in a burst of speed and hit Koffing downwards with a steel-coated fist. The purple gas ball bounced across the ground a few times and rolled to Roxie's feet, unconscious. "Wow, even knocked out, it _still_ looks happy," Alex mused.

" _She_ ," Roxie corrected as she recalled her Koffing. "All three of my pokemon are girls. Yes, including the Grimer."

Alex blinked, but decided not to ask how she could tell and to just take her word for it. He looked at Lucario, who winced with every breath. The Flamethrower primarily hit his chest, and it was likely that's where the majority of the burns were. "Lucario, come back and rest for a moment. Purrloin might not be able to finish off her last pokemon, but she can at least weaken it." Roxie glared. "Er, weaken _her_ ," Alex corrected. Roxie nodded approvingly.

"Alright, his team's on their last legs! Let's get him Whirlipede!" Roxie sent out her last pokemon, a wheel-like cocoon of poisonous thorns, red markings, and two angry-looking yellow eyes. Alex recognized it as the middle stage of the Venipede line and winced at the memory of the mamma Scolipede.

Lucario reluctantly came back to Alex and sat down. He seemed to have a really hard time breathing. Alex noticed, explained it away as Lucario being winded, and sent out Purrloin. Not that she looked much better; poison really wasn't something to mess around with. He couldn't afford to drag this out. "Purrloin, keep using Dark Pulse and crank them out as fast as you can! Do as much damage to that Whirlipede as possible!"

"Whirlipede, use Rollout to dodge!" Roxie ordered. Whirlipede whirled into motion and just barely dodged the first of Purrloin's Dark Pulses. Purrloin kept firing in bursts of two, but the longer Whirlipede used Rollout the faster she got. Purrloin paused after her latest assault, panting, and Roxie saw her chance. "Whirlipede, quick, hit her with Rollout, and then follow up with Venoshock!"

"Substitute, then Copycat!" Purrloin heard the command and hastily created a body-double that absorbed the Rollout attack, then spun away herself before Whirlipede could use Venoshock. Rather than build up speed as her opponent did, she chose to ram into the bug almost immediately. Afterwards, she rolled out of the attack, jumped into the air, and fired a double burst of Dark Pulse point-blank. Both shots hit home, and Whirlipede flipped across the ground a few times before skidding to a halt on its side. Purrloin gracefully landed, slurred on something said in a smug meow, and promptly fainted.

"Good work Purrloin, you were awesome!" Alex said as he returned the purple cat for the final time that battle. He turned to call out Lucario, but paused. "Lucario, are you okay? You...don't look so good."

 _I'm fine,_ he insisted, taking heavy breaths as he stepped onto the battlefield. By now Whirlipede was upright, and the two pokemon stared each other down. Lucario took a deep breath and calmly settled into a fighting stance.

Roxie noticed Alex's hesitation and spoke up. "Everything alright over there? You seem a lot less fired up than before." She gave a cocky grin and added, "Don't tell me you're having second thoughts _now?_ C'mon, you've done so well this battle, I know you've got a little bit more in you!"

Alex shook away his concerns and refocused on the match. "Y-yeah, we're fine! Lucario, keep using Ice Punch, and if she rolls away with Rollout use Aura Sphere to chase her down!"

Lucario ran forward with fists coated in ice. Whirlipede rolled out of the way of the first attack and raised a shield of green energy to block the second. Lucario growled and leapt backwards, recognizing that so long as Whirlipede had Protect up he couldn't damage her.

The poisonous bug spun away, using Rollout to zoom across the battlefield and build up speed. Lucario charged and fired Aura Spheres as fast as he could and each one followed Whirlipede and hit. However, with Whirlipede being both bug type _and_ poison type, the fighting type projectiles did next to nothing. Suddenly, she made a sharp turn and rammed Lucario full force.

Lucario's double resistance to rock type attacks mitigated a lot of the damage, but it was a powerful blow and his burns were beginning to take a toll on him. The Aura pokemon landed with a loud _thud_ on the floor. With a great deal of effort, he got back to his feet and took a defensive stance, keeping a weary eye on Whirlipede.

Alex needed to think of something. Lucario's burns were inhibiting his movement and whittling down his endurance. She had to be getting tired, all Lucario had to do was land one good hit with Ice Punch and that would likely be the match. Whirlipede started spinning again and went into Rollout. Lucario fired Aura Sphere and Alex watched it explode into a cloud of bluish fire. Suddenly, inspiration struck. "Lucario, hold off on Aura Sphere; don't attack until I tell you to."

The order confused him, but Lucario obeyed nonetheless. Roxie wasn't sure what he was playing at, but knew Whirlipede could cancel out of Rollout into Protect fairly easily and decided to continue with her attack run. "Whirlipede, pick up as much speed as you can and then hit the Lucario with everything you've got!"

The venomous cocoon responded by revving up faster than before and making a sharp turn towards Lucario. Alex quickly shouted, "Fire an Aura Sphere at the ground in front of her!" Lucario did so and the blast made a large hole. Whirlipede didn't have time to change course; she hit the pothole at full speed and bounced high into the air. Lucario caught on and jumped after her, making sure to face her back to avoid her Protect screen. With a loud roar, he used Force Palm to push himself downwards and then hit Whirlipede with Ice Punch. The icy blow knocked her into the ground hard enough to make a small crater, from which Lucario landed a few feet away. She twitched for a moment before going limp.

"Whirlipede is unable to battle!" the referee announced. "Victory goes to the challenger!"

Alex fist pumped the air. "Way to go Lucario!" he shouted. It was touch-and-go for a bit, but they'd won again, and on their first try too! Alex ran from his spot and intended to scoop the blue jackal into a celebratory hug, so excited he was with their victory.

Lucario turned and saw Alex running towards him, hollering and grinning and congratulating him on how well he did. A weary smile stretched across his muzzle. It was a struggle to breathe, and he was cold and sore, but for now that didn't matter. They'd won. He was strong enough to win. He didn't disappoint Alex. He was...strong...enough...

Right as Alex reached him, Lucario blacked out.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Well, that's two badges out of the way. And it only took me ~45k+ words to get there. Fucking hell…

Shout out to Vandenberg, who pointed out the oddity that Alex's pokemon aren't named and inspired the scene where he tries to correct that. (Also, bonus points to anyone who can figure out where I pulled Lucario's nickname from. I will give you zero hints.) The reason Purrloin doesn't have a nickname yet is because, honestly, I haven't thought of anything good for her. Same went for Lucario when I started this story, although that can at least be explained in-universe as Alex not being comfortable naming someone else's pokemon. Lucario probably won't get a nickname, but Purrloin probably will in a later chapter and other members of Alex's team probably will too.

I debated having Lucario get sick here, but it lets me set up the introduction of a new character next chapter that will end up joining Alex's party. Well, technically the character's already appeared before, but...eh, fuck it, you'll see.

Also, quick note: the next chapter may take longer than the others. I've been able to keep to a weekly release schedule thus far, but as of this chapter I've exhausted my buffer. With college starting up again soon, I may have to switch to a bi-weekly schedule for a while. Also, beta readers would be greatly appreciated; if you are one (and are willing) or know of a good one, please be sure to let me know.

Other than that, I hope you enjoyed the chapter!


	9. Fever Dreams

**Chapter 9: Fever Dreams**

* * *

Lucario fainting wasn't much of a surprise. Given his burns and the effort he exerted throughout the battle, it was very understandable. But then Alex reached the blue jackal and saw Lucario's violent shivering, felt how hot his forehead was, and heard the labored, wheezing gasps for breath.

Roxie stopped in the middle of her reluctantly-given congratulations, caught off-guard by the look of absolute terror on Alex's face. "Hey, what's goin' on? Something wrong with your Lucario?"

Alex didn't bother to explain. He hefted Lucario onto his shoulder and ran to the door, up the stairs, out of the gym, and through the streets of Virbank as fast as he could. Stupid, stupid, stupid- _stupid-_ _ **stupid!**_ The weird behavior, the nervous breathing, how quickly he exhausted himself—Alex cursed his inattentiveness. Damnit Lucario, _why!?_ Why didn't you tell him you were sick? …why didn't he _notice_ you were sick…?

Alex flung open the doors to the Pokemon Center and ran to the counter. He was too out of breath to speak, but mercifully one look at them and the nurse understood what was wrong.

She took Lucario, treated his injuries, and gave him a bed in the back room. Just like last time, everything seemed to indicate a flu, albeit one exacerbated by the battle against Roxie. The nurse caring for Lucario estimated he'd been sick for a few days and asked why he was made to fight. Alex shamefully admitted he didn't know Lucario was ill…

The nurse's glare conveyed her disbelief and disapproval. Alex winced, more aware than anyone how stupid, how _irresponsible_ that sounded. He meekly asked if Lucario would be okay. The nurse sternly answered that he'd be fine so long as no other complications developed and that they would monitor him and administer antibiotics if needed. Alex suffered further scolding, waited until the nurse left, and then retreated to a chair in the corner of the room. Purrloin, already healed, sat on Lucario's bed watching him and occasionally mewing sadly while nuzzling his arm. Lucario replied by moaning and rolling around in fitful sleep.

"Hey doofus, you want to tell me what exactly just happened back there?" Alex looked up and saw Roxie leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed and foot tapping the floor. "Losing's bad enough, but right as I'm trying to congratulate your punk-ass you take off running. _Then_ I come here and I'm told your Lucario's got something called a 'Flu Emergency' and was sick during our match. So what the actual _hell?_ Why would you do that to your pokemon? Did you even _know_ your Lucario was sick!?"

"No…I didn't." Roxie saw the look in Alex's eyes and softened her fiery gaze. He looked utterly broken. Clearly, he blamed himself entirely for Lucario's condition. She had originally planned to tear into him, but now knew there was nothing she could say that would be a fraction as effective as his own conscience. Besides, she didn't notice anything wrong either; it would be hypocritical to chastise him.

Alex felt something cold and metallic hit his face and fall into his lap. He picked it up and saw a strip of metal shaped like a smoke stack with small purple circles that lined up to a poison mark. "It's the Toxic Badge," Roxie explained. "I also owe you some prize money and a TM for Venoshock; come pick it up when you've got the time."

Alex examined the badge, then shook his head and offered it back. "I don't think I deserve it. I—"

"Don't." Roxie held up a hand to silence him, and her tone of voice made it clear there would be no arguing. "Don't pull the pity-party stuff again. You said you didn't know? Well, I believe you. You beat me fair and square and earned that badge. Besides, as hard as he fought it wouldn't be fair to Lucario just to throw it away."

Alex meekly nodded. Roxie wished for Lucario to get well and left. After a considerable length of time, Alex got up and looked at Purrloin. "I need some fresh air," he explained. "If Lucario wakes up while I'm gone, tell him I'll be back shortly."

Purrloin nodded and Alex started out the door, only for someone to run into him and knock him over. "Oh crap, I am _so_ sorry!" a young woman said while helping him up. "I heard there's a pokemon here I might know that's sick, and I wasn't looking where I was going, and…and…" Alex was back on his feet now, which meant the woman finally had her first good luck at him, "…and I was wondering if I'd find you here too."

Alex blinked. At first, this woman looked like the other nurses he'd met—she wore a pink shirt and skirt, white stockings, a pair of pink slippers, and a pink nurse's cap. The other nurses had brown hair, but hers was a pinkish-red and tied into a ponytail, and beneath her bangs were a pair of bright blue eyes. It took him a moment, but he eventually realized this was the nurse he'd talked to the night he left Floccesy Town.

"Um, hi…again," Alex began, confused but also relieved to see a familiar face. "What're you doing in Virbank? Don't you work at the Pokemon Center back in Floccesy?"

The nurse replied with a broad smile. "I was just a temp there. One of the nurses in Floccesy had to leave for a few months and they asked us to send someone to fill in for her. This is actually my first day back." She cleared her throat and added, "I don't think I ever introduced myself; I'm Emily Aylward."

"Alexander Andrite; nice to meet you." As Alex shook her outstretched hand, he suddenly realized Emily wasn't much older than him and made a mental note to ask about that later. "You mentioned you wanted to check on Lucario. It's nothing serious, is it?"

"No, nothing immediately pressing," Emily replied as she stepped around and walked over to the slumbering pokemon. "It's just that it's kind of odd to catch the flu twice in less than two months, and it's particularly odd how quickly he recovered last time." She picked up a clipboard at the foot of the bed and scrutinized it. "High fever, difficulty breathing, no sign of infection or other diseases…same as last time." She considered that information for a while, and then said, "Hey Alex, has Lucario ever said anything about these weird flu-spells of his?"

"Not much," Alex admitted. "Just that they 'happen occasionally' and that he supposedly gets over it in a day or so. He insisted it wasn't a big deal…I guess I shouldn't have just taken his word for it…" Alex folded his arms and withdrew into his metaphorical shell.

"Some people have trouble admitting when they need help. I guess some pokemon are the same way," Emily said sagely. There was a pause and then Emily asked, "Betsy—the other nurse you met earlier—told me you didn't know Lucario was sick. Did he not show any symptoms?"

Alex shrugged helplessly. "Not really…? I mean, he seemed more anxious than usual, and right before the battle his breathing was weird, but I thought it was just nerves. He was the same way before we fought Cheren in Aspertia and nothing happened then!" Alex groaned and pulled at his hair. "It must have been staring me in the face without me even noticing! I feel like such an idiot…"

Emily was about to reply, but then realized the full extent of what he just said. "Wait a minute; did you say you battled _Cheren?_ And…yeah, Betsy said you fought Roxie too!" The look on her face was of someone very thoroughly confused. "I thought you said you weren't a trainer—how did you get your trainer's license and battle two gym leaders so quickly? It hasn't even been two months yet!"

"It's…a long story," he said simply.

"I've got time," she said with a shrug. She considered something and added, "My shift ended ten minutes ago. After I got done checking up on Lucario, I was going to go get dinner. Maybe you could come with and tell me on the way?"

Alex blinked. He was expecting her to reprimand him like the other nurse, not invite him to dinner. "Um, thank you. Yeah, that actually sounds really good right now. I was actually about to step outside for a bit when you ran into me—er, no pun intended." Emily chuckled, and Alex rubbed the back of his head nervously. Purrloin looked at her flustered trainer and snickered.

Emily clasped her hands together. "Then it's settled! Let's go!" She started for the door and motioned for Alex to follow, which he did. He turned around and assured Purrloin he'd be back soon. Purrloin responded by meowing something suggestive about Alex and his new lady friend, which he naturally couldn't understand and decided to ignore.

The two humans left, leaving the purple cat alone to contemplate her ill teammate. Stupid mutt, fighting when he was sick with some sort of super-bug! Worst of all was finding out he'd been this way for a few days and didn't tell anyone. Why, the moment he recovered enough to wake up she was gonna'—!

Right about then, Lucario woke up. He quickly sat up and realized how bad an idea that was when the room kept spinning. The nausea eventually passed and he took his first proper look around the room. Lucario then realized two things:

First, Purrloin was sitting in his lap and glaring at him.

Second, he should have ducked because Purrloin promptly slapped him across the muzzle.

" _What the_ hell!? _"_ Lucario yelled hoarsely. _"What is your problem!? Do you just enjoy making other people suffer, or wha—"_

Purrloin held up a paw for silence. For reasons beyond conscious comprehension, Lucario complied. _"For the record, I'd just like to say you're an idiot,"_ she began with an unnerving amount of calm. _"Over the past week, I thought you were just being extra moody, or that maybe that stick up your ass was itching, or_ something. _But now that I know what was wrong, I'd appreciate it if you could indulge a few of my questions..."_ She took a deep breath and screamed, " _HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND!? What in Arceus' name possessed you to think it was a good idea to fight a_ gym leader _while you were sick!? And_ why _didn't you tell Alex?"_

Lucario groaned and flopped back onto the bed. He tried to turn away from Purrloin, but she hopped across and forced herself into view. He rolled onto the other side, got the same result, and finally settled for lying on his back and throwing a pillow over his face. _"Leave me alone Purrloin,"_ Lucario grumbled through a mouthful of fabric. _"I'm not in the mood. Besides, we won right, so why does it matter?"_

Cream-colored paws ripped the pillow away, forcing Lucario to stare straight into Purrloin's bright green eyes. She was about to yell again, but her anger gave way to concern. _"What's wrong with you…?"_ she asked earnestly. _"Alex is worried sick because of what happened, and on top of that he's convinced it's all his fault. We could have waited to challenge Roxie—why push yourself like that?"_

Lucario sat up again and growled _. "Since when did you care so much?"_ he asked bitterly. Purrloin looked baffled. _"This is just one of your attempts to get under my skin, isn't it? Make me feel guilty and then laugh at my stupidity."_ He intensified his glare and continued, _"Well, you know what?_ Screw you! _I'm sick of your mind games and I'm not playing along this time! Go find someone else to torment."_

With a loud huff, Lucario flopped back onto the bed and pulled the covers over his head. Purrloin snarled, raised a paw to hit him again…and stopped. She lowered the paw and took a sudden interest in the wall over to her left. _"…hey Lucario, can I tell you something?"_ The blue jackal said nothing, but she could tell by the twitch of his ears that he was listening. _"I…wasn't always a wild pokemon. Before I met you and Alex, I used to belong to someone else."_

That got his attention. Lucario removed the covers and looked at her inquisitively.

Purrloin took a deep, calming breath. _"Years ago, there was this old woman named Velma who lived on the outskirts of a city—I'm not even sure where. I was just a small kitten at the time, separated from my parents, scared out of my mind and wandering the forest alone, when she found me and took me in. She talked to me, played with me, occasionally used me to battle a passing trainer…"_ Purrloin closed her eyes and relished the memories. _"She was the nicest human I think I've ever met, and the time I spent with her was the happiest I've ever been in my life."_

Lucario listened intently. _"What happened?"_ he asked. _"It sounds like you two were really close. Why did you leave her?"_

Purrloin's nostalgic happiness drained away. _"I didn't,"_ she answered solemnly. _"About a year ago, she got really, really sick. She got to the point where she couldn't do anything but lay in bed all day and let the rest of her family take care of her. One morning I woke up next to her and realized she was unusually cold. It didn't take me long to figure out that sometime during the night, she had…she'd…"_

Purrloin sniffled, and Lucario's ears drooped. He reached over to gently pat her. _"You don't have to say anything else. I'm…I'm sorry for your loss."_

Purrloin looked up at him and smiled. _"Thanks,_ " she said. _"None of her children wanted me—the only times they visited were to ask Velma for favors, so I wasn't exactly friendly to them. A few days after they buried her, they took me out to the middle of the woods and release me back into the wild. And that was the end of it I guess…"_

Lucario nodded, but a question loomed in his mind. _"Why tell me this, and why now?"_

Purrloin groaned and rolled her eyes. _"You really are thickheaded, aren't you?"_ she said while putting a paw over her face. _"Okay, look, let me put it to you this way: when Velma died, I lost the only family I ever really knew. Then I kept running into you and Alex, saw how well you two got along together and how_ nice _Alex was. After thinking about it for a while, I realized maybe this was a second chance—a chance to have a family again."_

Lucario's eyes widened. Family? She considered him…family?

" _Do you get it now?"_ she asked in a tone that almost sounded desperate. _"Look, I get that sometimes I'm a little too obnoxious, but I never mean anything by it. I…I guess I assumed that you both understood that."_ She hopped into Lucario lap and wrapped her forepaws around his waist in a tight hug. Tears started running down her face. _"I've already lost two families now;_ please _, I don't want to lose anyone else! Please don't do something like this again!"_

Lucario considered the situation for a moment, and then eventually decided to return Purrloin's hug. _"I'm sorry about what I said earlier, and I'm sorry for worrying you and Alex so much."_ He let out a long sigh. _"I guess I should have told you guys, but I didn't want to hold Alex up just because I'm too weak to fight off this…_ whatever _is wrong with me."_ Lucario let go of Purrloin and pulled at the fur on his head. _"Gah, no matter what I try to do I just keep making things worse! I feel so damned useless!"_

Purrloin batted Lucario's muzzle with a paw. _"You're not useless dummy, and the sooner you figure that out the better off you'll be!"_ Purrloin closed her eyes and sighed. _"You should get some more rest. You still look like crap, and I've yelled at you long enough."_

Now that she mentioned it, Lucario _was_ really tired. He got back under the covers and closed his eyes, but couldn't stop thinking about his conversation with Purrloin. It felt weird to be considered part of someone's family, especially by a pokemon he (formerly?) disliked. Family…he understood what the word meant intellectually, but struggled with the emotional meaning. Ricky and the rest of his team were the closest he ever had to a family…for obvious reasons they weren't the best reference. He craved the kind of emotional connection Purrloin had with her deceased owner, but was simultaneously too afraid of something ripping it away. The conflict was agonizing.

He wasn't sure when it happened, but at some point during his introspection exhaustion finally took hold and Lucario fell back asleep.

* * *

After a quick discussion on where to go for dinner, the two teenagers agreed on a burger stand a few blocks away from the Pokemon Center. On the way there, Alex recounted everything that happened since the night he left his hometown. Emily listened attentively, and was quick to offer her condolences when he got to the part where Alistair disowned him. Alex thanked her, but was quick to change topics. He had enough on his mind without wasting time thinking about his father.

By the time he was done, they got their food and found a table in the back of the dining room. It was late afternoon, and Alex mentally noted how time seemed to have slipped away.

"That's quite the story," Emily said before taking a bite of her cheeseburger. "I'm kind of surprised you haven't captured Lucario though. I mean, he's practically part of your team anyway, and it sounds like the two of you get along pretty well."

Alex shrugged. "I told him it was his choice, and he hasn't said anything yet. Considering his past with Ricky, I feel it wouldn't be right if I forced it."

"Odd mentality for a trainer," Emily noted. "Most trainers' philosophy can be summed up as 'throw pokeballs until they become your best friend.' Not saying I don't agree with you or your reasoning, just that it's unusual."

Alex replied with an "eh" and decided to change the subject. "Speaking of unusual, how are you a nurse? Er, I mean, you don't look like you're much older than me, so I guess what I'm trying to ask is how did you get to be one so quickly?"

"Well, _technically_ I'm just a nurse in training," Emily replied. "When I was twelve, I tried being a trainer for a year before realizing it wasn't really for me. Then I decided I wanted to become a nurse instead. So I came back home and worked as an apprentice at the Pokemon Center for the past four years. " She rested her chin on her hand and sighed forlornly. "Still, I do miss the traveling. I've actually been thinking about becoming a field nurse, just so I can start exploring Unova again. Working in the Center is cool and all, but I really did like exploring and I love the idea of helping people I meet along the way."

Alex nodded with her. "Yeah, I understand what you're saying. One of the reasons I wanted to be a trainer so badly was so I could travel. Unova's a big place, and I want to see every inch of it!" A pause, and he asked, "So what was your starter anyway? Do you have it with you right now?"

"She's a Vaporeon named Vivian that my dad caught near Castelia as an Eevee, and no I don't have her with me. She doesn't like being cooped up in her pokeball, so I let her roam around the house during the day while I'm at work." Emily frowned and turned her head to look out the window. "That's the other reason I'd like to start traveling again. I can tell that she's restless during the day and it makes me feel guilty. I think it would do her some good to start traveling again." She turned back to Alex and added, "I'll have to introduce the two of you sometime; I think you'd both get along great."

"I'd like that," Alex said, a warm smile stretched across his face.

Emily returned the smile. Then her thoughts shifted to his father. She knew she probably shouldn't bring it up, but couldn't help herself. "I'm not sure if you know this…but the morning after you left Floccesy your dad went crazy looking for you." Alex gave her a weird look, and Emily sensed she was dangerously close to pushing a button best left alone. "I'm pretty sure he talked to half the town before finally thinking to look for you at the Pokemon Center. I'd never seen someone so worried before... Mind you, I'm not excusing what he did—it was awful in so many different ways I wouldn't even know where to begin. I'm just saying maybe you two might be able to work things out eventually."

Alex scoffed loudly. "I doubt it, and honestly I don't even care anymore. When I was a kid, I _begged_ him to let me get my own pokemon and teach me how to raise them. His response was to tell me how much I sucked at life and that I would get myself killed trying, so I shouldn't even bother. If he wants to pretend I don't exist, then fine, whatever. Total strangers have been better teachers than he ever was, so the way I see it I don't even need him."

Emily flinched at the bitterness of his words. "I'm…really sorry to hear that…"

Alex frowned. "Don't take this the wrong way, but why do you care if I get along with my dad or not?"

"I just…really hate broken families is all," she replied. "It just seems _wrong_ to me, like it violates some unspoken law. I think it's why I decided to become a pokemon nurse—pokemon can be as much a part of your family as people can, and I like to think that I'm helping families stay together."

Alex smiled ruefully. "Well, I appreciate you trying, but my family's been broken for a long time. If you don't mind, I'd rather drop the subject."

Any chance at further conversation withered and died. They finished their meals silently and sat there, each teenager lost in thought. After a while, Emily spoke up and said, "It's getting late, so I think I'm going to head home. Besides, you should probably go check up on Lucario."

"Huh? Oh, yeah, I should get back now. Thanks for inviting me to dinner; it was nice talking with you."

"Same here," she said with a warm smile. "And sorry if I was getting a little too personal earlier. I don't mean to, but I can be really nosy sometimes."

Alex dismissed it with a wave of the hand. She got up to leave and Alex started to do the same, but something was bothering him. "Hey, Emily, before you go could I ask you something?" She stopped and turned to face him, and for a moment he hesitated. "The other nurse was really mad at me earlier, and I got the impression she thought I was really irresponsible for not knowing Lucario was sick. What do you think though? Do you agree with her?"

"I think…Lucario is an odd case," Emily said tactfully. "He recovered way too quickly the last time he was sick. You mentioned he can use telepathy, right? When he starts to feel better I'd like to talk to him and ask how he felt on the days leading up to today." She shrugged and added, "The best doctor in the world is useless if a patient doesn't ask for help. If I were you, I'd focus less on why you didn't notice he was sick and more on why he didn't tell you. That concerns me more than anything else."

Alex nodded. "Yeah, I'll do that. Thanks Emily."

They finished their goodbyes and set off for their respective destinations. A cool breeze whipped across the city, biting at Alex's exposed arms. It was definitely getting colder, and soon he would need to find some heavier clothing. He remembered that Lucario didn't like the cold and resolved to figure out a way to keep him comfortable.

A heavy sigh escaped him. This whole ordeal with Lucario getting sick out of nowhere disturbed him. He knew it would come up eventually, but he expected some kind of warning before it happened. Lucario not saying anything—possibly even _hiding_ it from him—was worse. Emily was right; that needed to be addressed _immediately._

Alex was back at the Pokemon Center now. His footsteps echoed across the hallway, each one a loud _ffpt_ of shoes meeting tiled floor. He found Lucario's room and stepped inside. Purrloin, who was still lying on the bed, perked up and ran to him meowing happily. Alex smiled and bent down to scratch her back before she scampered back to the bed. Lucario's ears twitched and suddenly he sitting up and looking at Alex.

"Hey Lucario, feeling any better?" Alex began. "Sorry if you were up earlier when I wasn't here, but I ran into that nurse that took care of you in Floccesy and we got to talking and…well, I guess time got away from us."

 _Yes, I feel much better. Thanks._ A pause, and with no shortage of shame he added, _I'm sorry, by the way, for not letting you know I was sick. That could have cost us the match today, and it was really foolish on my part._

It was time for the big question. "Why _didn't_ you tell me?" Alex asked. He looked the Aura pokemon dead in the eyes, eyes which promptly moved to avoid his gaze. That prompted a frustrated sigh. "Lucario, please, help me out here, because I've been driving myself crazy all day worrying it was something obvious and that I'm an idiot for not noticing!"

Lucario's ears drooped and he grabbed the blankets with his paws. _Please don't blame yourself; I went out of my way to hide it from you because I didn't want you to worry._ Lucario looked at him again, and then looked down and away. _I thought that maybe I could tough it out, but instead I made everything worse…_

"Lucario…it was just a flu. It wouldn't have bothered me to wait a few days before you were better." Alex's confusion was palpable. "I don't get it—why go through all the trouble to hide it?"

Lucario's paws tightened their grip on the blankets. _Because…because I was afraid you'd think less of me when you found out how weak I am…_. He growled and hit the mattress with clenched fists. _All my life, I've been too weak to be useful to anyone! Evolving was supposed to fix that, but then I started getting sick all the time!_ Lucario faced Alex again, red eyes full of tears. _What good am I if I can't fight? What happens if I get sick during another gym battle, or even the Championship match? I don't know why I bothered. I should have known better…_

Alex watched, gobsmacked, as Lucario buried his face into his arms and started sobbing. Without a word, he walked over, sat on the edge of the bed, and pulled Lucario into a tight hug. The Aura pokemon opened his eyes and looked up at the blonde trainer.

"I understand how you feel," Alex began. "Before I met you and started my journey, I felt like I was useless too. Still do most of the time…" He chuckled bitterly and continued, "But you're not useless Lucario, not now, not _ever_. I'd never give up on you, because I think…no, I _know_ that you wouldn't give up on me. Whatever trouble comes our way, we'll deal with it together."

Lucario gradually stopped crying and allowed himself to relax a little. _You're a better friend to me than I am to you_ , he admitted. _The only reason I kept traveling with you after Aspertia was because I felt guilty leaving you alone…and because I thought this might be a chance to prove to myself that I'm worth a damn. To be honest, I want to be your friend…but I'm too scared of being left alone again._

Alex loosened his grip on Lucario and positioned himself so they were looking face-to-face. "Lucario, I know you can sense emotion, so _please_ pay really close attention to what I'm about to say." He put his hands on the Aura pokemon's shoulders and said with every ounce of sincerity he could summon, "I'm not going to leave you Lucario. So long as you're willing to put up with me, I'll always be by your side. I promise."

Alex meant every word he said; Lucario didn't need aura to know that. A part of his mind, the part formed when he was a Riolu left alone in the woods, _screamed_ at him not to give in, but at the same time—is this what Purrloin meant when she said she knew this was her second chance…? He stole a glance at her, saw green eyes staring hopefully at him, and finally realized the obvious. They cared about him. Despite his flaws and despite his weakness, they actually _cared_ about him. And no matter what happened, that would never change.

The ghost of the Riolu he used to be screamed at him, _begging_ him not to open up! _Don't do it!_ he insisted. _You'll just get hurt again! It's not worth it!_

Lucario disagreed.

Alex's bag was in a chair by the door. Lucario got up and ran to it, frantically digging for something. He found what he was looking for—a red and white pokeball—and before anyone could react tapped himself on the head and smiled as he was sucked inside in a flash of white light. Alex gasped as it dropped to the floor and shook once…twice…three times...

 _Click!_

With trembling hands, Alex walked over and picked up the pokeball. He held it for a moment before pressing the button and materializing Lucario in a flash of white light. The Aura pokemon blinked, reorienting himself, before noticing the awestruck look on the blonde trainer's face.

A nervous smile stretched across Lucario's muzzle. _Consider that my way of holding you to your promise,_ he said. _Not that I don't believe you, but you know…just to be sure._ He chuckled, then sheepishly added, _I guess this means you don't have to correct people about not being my trainer anymore, huh?_

Alex didn't reply. He softly smiled, put the ball away on his belt, and bent down to scoop the Lucario— _his_ Lucario—into a hug. Lucario returned the hug, and for her part Purrloin ran over and joined in. Lucario started crying again, but for once it wasn't because he was sad or upset.

For the first time in years, Lucario was truly happy.

* * *

Within a day of his match, Lucario made a full recovery. The (rather puzzled) doctors and nurses ran several tests to try and discover the root cause of the Aura pokemon's illness, and were rewarded for their efforts with a whole lot of nothing.

Lucario was asked to describe his symptoms, which he begrudgingly did at the behest of Alex. It typically happened once every one-to-two months. Over the course of a week he would become congested, increasingly lethargic, and develop a mild cough. Then, all at once he'd develop a high fever and other flu-like symptoms. Finally, after a day or so of rest, he was perfectly fine.

The Pokemon Center staff was baffled. A chronic flu usually meant a weak immune system, but by that same token it meant Lucario shouldn't recover so quickly. Their best guess was it was a strange kind of allergic reaction, but to what they didn't know.

Needless to say, Lucario became thoroughly tired of their poking, prodding, blood-sampling, and machine scanning and asked when he could leave. After a brief discussion amongst themselves, the doctors and nurses concluded that whatever was wrong, at the very least it didn't seem contagious. Lucario was free to go, but the doctors stressed that they should remain vigilant and that Lucario should receive regular checkups. Alex readily assured them he would do just that.

Tickets for the boat ride to Castelia City were purchased, and a few days later Alex and his pokemon arrived at the docks ready to set sail. They already said their goodbyes to Rena, Louie, and Donny earlier that morning and were about to board the ship.

"Hey, Alex, wait up a minute!" Trainer and pokemon stopped and turned to see Emily running up behind them. Her reddish-pink hair was still tied up in a ponytail, but the rest of her outfit was completely different. She wore a bright red, short-sleeved jacket with black trim on top of a light blue shirt, light-tan pants, black boots, and two different wristbands—one red, one black. She was carrying a large black bag which, if Alex were to hazard a guess, contained medical supplies. On her belt were two separate pokeballs, one of which he assumed contained her starter.

"Hi Emily," Alex said amicably. "I like the outfit. I think it suits you better than your nurse uniform." Realizing that he was being unintentionally flirtatious, he quickly added, "So, erm, what's going on? I meant to say goodbye to you this morning, but I couldn't find you at the Pokemon Center."

After catching her breath, Emily replied, "I was going to let you know after I was done packing, but it took me a little longer than I thought and time got away from me. I talked to my boss yesterday and she agreed to let me spend a year traveling Unova as a junior field nurse."

"That's awesome!" Alex said. "But, uh, a 'junior' field nurse? How does that work exactly?"

"Basically, it's kind of like being a pokemon researcher, except I check in with the nearest Pokemon Center after a month or two and have to keep studying medical material on my own. Also, if I provide any nursing services out in the field I have to fully disclose to my patients what I am before doing anything." She shrugged and added, "Think 'pokemon trainer with lots of homework' and you'll get the general idea."

 _Interesting,_ Lucario said. _But why did you run all the way down here just to tell us?_

"Well, that's the other thing," Emily began. "Sorry if this seems a little sudden or out of the blue, but I was wondering…would you mind if I traveled with you?"

Alex's eyes widened. "You…want to travel with _me?_ "

Emily nodded. "I just figured, with your Lucario having that weird allergy, or whatever it is, you might like having a nurse with you to help keep an eye on him. Also, you seem like a nice guy, and it'd be nice to have someone to talk to while traveling…"

Purrloin started snickering. _"Oooooh, myyy~…"_ she meowed in a very suggestive tone. Lucario raised a brow and asked what she was going on about. Purrloin sighed and said she would explain later.

Alex rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Well, I certainly don't mind," he said. "Lucario, Purrloin, what do you think?"

Purrloin readily meowed yes. Lucario frowned. He didn't like the idea of being poked and prodded by the nurse constantly, but he was already outvoted. He relented with a loud sigh and said, _Sounds reasonable. So long as you're okay with it, I am too._

"Then it's settled," Emily said while clasping her hands. With that, the group of friends boarded the boat and settled in. It would take a day to sail from Virbank to Castelia and Alex could barely contain his excitement. Castelia City was the largest city in all of Unova, not to mention the location of his next gym battle. Not just that, but now Lucario was officially his pokemon and he'd made a new friend in Emily. A large smile stretched across his face. He was living his dream, and in that moment in time Alex felt indestructible. Nothing could touch him—nothing could stand in his way!

It was best that he enjoy the feeling while it lasted.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Huh, so _this_ is what Schedule Slip feels like...

For some reason I had _really_ bad writer's block midway through writing this sumabitch. I'm sorry for the delay, but hopefully it was worth it!

I've been told I may have crammed too much into this chapter, so sorry if it seems to drag a little. It's something I intend to be more conscious of going forward. On the bright side, yay, I can write Lucario and Alex getting along without worrying about how Lucario's insecurities should get in the way! :D

Also, Purrloin will be getting a nickname soon (courtesy of Emily, since Alex is terrible at nicknames). I've gotten a few cool suggestions, but if anyone else has any I'm willing to listen. Other than that, let me know what you thought and I hope you enjoyed the chapter!


	10. Adventure Awaits

**Author's Note:** For returning readers, I made a slight ret-con last chapter; rather than the convoluted "junior nurse" crap I used before, I changed it so that Emily is taking a break from her education to travel instead. Why didn't I go with this before? Because at the time I didn't know gap years were a thing.

Also, I made some general improvements to the chapter as a whole, most notably the scene between Alex and Lucario towards the end. That part's probably worth a re-read if you've got the time.

* * *

 **Chapter 10: Adventure Awaits**

* * *

The morning after his botched attempt to capture Rena Kuro at Pokestar Studios, Ringo found himself lying in the emergency ward of a hospital in Castelia City with broken ribs, a fractured jaw, and a minor concussion. Thankfully, he was of sound enough mind to give his equipment, spare pokemon, and anything else incriminating to his Aerodactyl and send it back to base. He claimed a mugger attacked him to explain his injuries, and there was no doubt the police would be called to investigate.

The police came and went, the doctors fixed him up as best they could and moved him into his own room, and then Ringo was left alone. Alone with his thoughts. Thoughts which currently fixated on that blonde-haired _brat_ from last night. Even if he had a Lucario, it was obvious at a glance the boy was a rookie; to be thwarted by the likes of _that_ was a disgrace.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of someone entering his room. Ringo gave a lazy glare at what he thought was just another nurse, but froze and quickly forsook the attitude.

The person was a man in his late forties with short, faded black hair, sharp steel-blue eyes and an even sharper goatee. His face wore mixed emotions: anger, annoyance, but, more than anything else, disappointment.

Ringo sat upright as best he could, and winced from the pain in his chest. "Darius? How…how did you find me so quickly?"

Darius folded his arms. "You should know by now that I'm well connected," the older man answered smoothly. "Although in this case, your Aerodactyl and the morning news did most of the work for me."

Ringo nodded. "So, is Silvia here too, or is she—?"

"Occupied with work at the moment," Darius interrupted. "Specifically, that special contract we were offered a few months ago. I discovered a potential lead and sent her to investigate." Darius sauntered further into the room and circled Ringo's bed in a decidedly predatory manner that kept the poacher's gaze fixed squarely on him. He looked at Ringo for a moment, then walked towards a window and stared out into the city below.

"Speaking of contracts, I spoke with the client who wanted that Zoroark this morning," Darius began without turning around. "Apparently rumors are already spreading, and he's convinced the truth will come out soon. For whatever reason, its identity remaining a secret was important to him and he consequently backed out. In short, Ringo…you've failed."

Ringo averted his gaze. It infuriated him to admit it, but he fucked up and Darius knew it.

It was uncomfortably quiet for several minutes, and then Darius turned to face him and said, "Do you remember what I was before I became a poacher Ringo?" The redhead gave him a questioning look. "You can speak freely; I've seen to it that we'll be left alone."

That raised a red flag in the back of his mind, but Ringo sat it aside for now. "Yeah, you used to be a member of Team Rocket, years ago before that kid trainer managed to take 'em out."

"Not just a member, but an executive," Darius corrected. "I was second only to Giovanni himself. Despite this, I craved more, believed that I _deserved_ more, and staged a coup to take control of the organization for myself." Darius clenched his fist, then relaxed his grip and let out a heavy sigh. "My pride and arrogance cost me. Giovanni beat me, and my coup quickly fell apart. To save my life, I was forced to flee Kanto and start anew here in Unova."

Ringo started to speak, but something covered his mouth and pushed down. A similar force grabbed his arms, and suddenly he found himself pinned to the bed. Darius stared at him passively, and far too late the poacher worked out what was happening.

"Blind arrogance almost brought about my ruin," Darius began. "Last night, it almost brought about yours. When I found you on the streets all those years ago, I'd hoped that maybe you would learn from my example. Had you approached that contract with more tact, or even just forgone toying with that boy, you would have succeeded."

Darius snapped his fingers, and a large golden sarcophagus with teal stripes, sinister red eyes, and a malicious grin of razor sharp teeth materialized. Connected to it were four shadowy arms, three of which were the source of the phantom limbs restraining Ringo. The poacher squirmed in the Cofagrigus' grasp, but the ghost type held firm and giggled.

"I hope you understand that I take no pleasure in what I'm about to do," Darius said, "In some ways, you're almost like a son to me. And as such, I feel it's my duty to teach to you…"

Darius snapped his fingers. The floating sarcophagus cackled menacingly, and as it did its eyes began to glow.

"…that actions have consequences."

The Cofagrigus used Curse. Ringo felt a wave of energy wash over him, and then for the next thirty seconds all he could feel was pain. Despite his efforts not to, he screamed, and only the ghostly hands muffling him kept it from filling the entire hospital.

"Enough." Cofagrigus was recalled, and instantly the pain stopped. "I sincerely hope we never have this conversation again," Darius said. "Gather your things. I've arranged for you to be discharged early; we can't give the police the time to figure out that you're here. Once we're back at base, you're to remain in your quarters until you've recovered. Understood?" Ringo meekly nodded. The barest hints of a smile flashed across Darius' face, and then he left.

Ringo forced himself out of bed, stumbled a few steps, and then fell to the floor. With a grunt of effort, he got back to his feet and took a moment to orient himself. Once on steadier legs, he changed clothes, gathered his things, and left the hospital unopposed. Darius meet him at the door and gave him a pokeball, and then disappeared into the crowd.

Ringo walked a few blocks away, dove into one of the wider alleyways, and opened the pokeball given to him. It was his Aerodactyl, and the fossil pokemon let out something between a screech and a chirp, and then motioned for his master to climb on. Ringo did so, and together they took to the sky and disappeared into the horizon.

* * *

It was a bright, cloudless day—ideal weather for a day-long cruise to Castelia City. A flock of Wingull sailed overhead, cawing loudly and occasionally making a nosedive for the ocean's surface. Most of the passengers were spread across the deck of the ship, doing anything from playing volleyball to sunbathing.

Alex and Emily found a relatively secluded row of chairs near the ship's superstructure. They'd decided now was a good time to let their pokemon get to know each other and released them to do just that. Lucario and Purrloin started a conversation with Audrey, Emily's Audino, and moved over towards the ship's railing. Satisfied that the three of them were getting along, Alex turned his attention to Emily's Vaporeon.

"Wow, so this is a Vaporeon…"Alex carefully reached a hand out to the quadruped and stroked its short, blue fur. It felt slick and oily, and was surprisingly dense given its short length. Then again, Vaporeon were water types, and it showed in the ridged spine, cream-colored head-fins, split-fin tail, and white ruff around its neck.

The Bubble Jet pokemon tolerated the petting for a while, but then abruptly walked away and jumped into her trainer's lap, leaving Alex feeling a little dejected.

Emily gave a disapproving glare. "Vivian, that was rude!" she protested.

Her starter frowned and squeaked back indignantly, communicating with her trainer primarily through body language and tone of voice.

"I know you don't like strangers, but how else are you going to make friends? C'mon, give him a chance!"

The Vaporeon grumbled, jumped out of Emily's lap, started to walk back to Alex…and then changed her mind and walked away again. She squeaked something to the effect that she was bored and wandered off to explore the deck of the cruise ship.

Emily let out a heavy sigh. "Don't take it personally Alex, she's always been lukewarm to new people—even as an Eevee. I'd have thought she'd grown out of it by now though."

"Eh, it's no big deal. I'm just glad I can see that I've seen an Eeveelution." Alex leaned back into his deckchair and stole a glance at the retreating Vaporeon, noticing a slight limp in her step, specifically in her rear legs. "Hey, uh…is something wrong with her? She seems like she's having some trouble walking."

"Huh?" Emily turned with a start towards her pokemon, but relaxed when she realized what he meant. "Oh…that. When Vivian was still an Eevee, she got into an accident that basically shattered her spine and left her paralyzed from the waist down. Evolving into a Vaporeon helped, but she still has some spinal cord damage. Treatment and years of physical therapy has gotten her to where she can walk around, but she still has trouble sometimes."

Alex started to ask what happened, but noticed the utterly grim look on the nurse's face. Deciding that maybe this was something she'd rather not talk about, he switched to a different question. "So why did you decide to evolve her into a Vaporeon? Was it just personal preference?"

"Not entirely," Emily replied. "Vaporeon have the ability to modify their molecular structure and 'melt' into a liquid. She can't actually _change_ the structure of her solid body, but she can selectively dissolve parts of it while moving to make things easier, or at the very least mitigate any pain."

"Huh…that's actually really cool." A moment later Alex added, "You said evolving helped her walk again. How does that work exactly?"

Emily surprised him by grinning. "How detailed do you want me to get? Just a warning, but the full explanation can get a little technical."

Alex considered for a moment. With that kind of enthusiasm, the "technical" explanation could take a while. "Eh, I think I'll go with the abridged version if you don't mind…"

Emily replied with a quick nod. "Okay, to make a long story short, pokemon evolution as a process works by converting energy into matter, like a pokeball does when releasing a pokemon, except the energy is used to alter the physical structure of the pokemon itself. Some pokemon experience more drastic transformations than others, but most of the time an evolution builds off what was already there—as if the base form was a template. In Vivian's case, because her spinal cord was so messed up—the template was 'corrupted' if you will—some of that damage carried over."

"…that was the _abridged_ version?"

Emily chuckled. "I could go on about this all day if you let me. There are a _lot_ of studies and theories out there about how pokemon biology works. It's…confusing, but really interesting!"

Alex shrugged, a sheepish smile spread across his face. "Eh, I guess that's why you're the med student and not me. Still, it's really cool that you know all of that." Before he could say anything else, something purple and cat-shaped flew into him and knocked him off his chair. As Alex and Purrloin recovered, a pink-and-cream colored biped with large ears and bright blue eyes stomped over and squeaked angrily at the Devious pokemon.

Lucario calmly walked over and projected to Alex, _There was a misunderstanding between us about Audrey's sex; Purrloin and I assumed Audrey was a girl, and he corrected us. Purrloin decided to make a snide comment and Audrey took offense._

Alex gave a look to Purrloin. _"Don't look at me like that, it's not my fault he has no sense of humor!"_ Purrloin meowed indignantly. _"Besides, he's a freaking Audino named 'Audrey'— who_ wouldn't _assume he's a chick?"_

" _There are plenty of men with that name you presumptuous upstart,"_ Audrey said, arms folded and nose turned upright. _"Besides, assuming I'm a woman because I'm an Audino? I can't decide if that's racist or sexist, but either way it's offensive!"_ With that, Audrey stomped back to his trainer, tapped his pokeball, and disappeared in a flash of red light.

The humans blinked. "That was…a thing," Alex said flatly.

Emily groaned. "Well, that's great; Audrey's going to be mad for _days_ now..."

"Why'd you name him Audrey then?" Alex asked as he got back into his chair. "I mean, in Purrloin's defense it _does_ sound like a girl's name."

"That was his nickname when the Pokemon Center gave him to me, and he didn't want to change it. I have _no_ idea why…" Emily then said, "By the way, I've been meaning to ask—is there a reason your pokemon don't have nicknames?"

"Well…" Alex began sheepishly, "I tried to once, but they didn't like them and told me I was bad at making up nicknames…"

Emily raised an eyebrow. "I think they're being too hard on you. I mean, what's the worst you could have come up wi—?"

 _He wanted to name me 'Lulu' and Purrloin 'Purrly',_ Lucario interjected.

There was the sound of Wingull cawing and waves crashing against the hull of the ship. "…Oh," was Emily's reply.

"…they're not _that_ bad…" Alex grumbled with crossed arms.

Emily thought for a moment. "Well, if they're interested in having nicknames, I could think of a few. In fact…yeah, I've just thought of one for Purrloin!" She turned to the purple cat and asked, "What do you think about the name 'Selina?'"

The Devious pokemon tilted her head sideways. After a moment's consideration, she said, _"You know…I actually kind of like that name!"_

Lucario translated, and Alex smiled. "Well, if you like it, then that's good enough for me. You are now officially 'Selina.'"

The newly christened Selina rubbed against her trainer and purred with satisfaction.

Emily smiled and then turned to look at Alex's other pokemon. "So Lucario, what about you? Do you want me to think up a nickname for you?"

 _Huh? Oh, um…no, actually, I'm fine with not having a nickname,_ Lucario said quickly. _But thank you for your consideration._

Alex mulled over the pokemon's response, and then suddenly realized something. "Hey Lucario, random question, but…did Ricky ever nickname you or his other pokemon?" The blue jackal raised a brow and Alex explained, "You never told me if you had a name before, and now I'm kind of curious."

Alex, Emily, and Selina all looked at Lucario expectedly, who scratched behind his head nervously. _Well…I_ did _have a nickname, back when I was a Riolu. The same went for Ricky's other pokemon too. I'd imagine the same is true for whatever pokemon he's caught since then._

" _Well…what_ was _your name?"_ Selina asked. Alex and Emily asked the same.

There was a long pause, during which Lucario debated whether or not to answer. Feeling their curiosity would not be satisfied unless he did, Lucario sighed heavily and said, _Lloyd…my name was Lloyd._

Alex considered that. It was a good enough name, and he saw no reason why Lucario would be reluctant to tell him. "Why don't you use it anymore?" he asked.

Lucario's ears drooped. _It's…just not me anymore,_ he said. He thought for a moment and added, _If I really had to explain it, I guess it's because it's the name I had when I was still Ricky's pokemon—when I was still a Riolu. And…well…I guess that…_

Alex picked up on what he was struggling to say and knelt down in front of the shorter pokemon. "Hey, don't start with this again!" He put a hand on Lucario's shoulder and smiled reassuringly. "You have no reason to be ashamed of who you are, or who you used to be. Got it?"

Alex moved his hand to scratch Lucario behind the ears. The Aura pokemon leaned into the scratch and smiled. When Alex finished, Lucario looked at him and said, _I really appreciate that, but if it's all the same I'd still prefer to be called 'Lucario.' I'm kind of used to it now._

"Fair enough." Alex gave him a final pat on the head and returned to his chair. "I still think 'Lulu' would be a good name for you though. Just saying…"

Lucario rolled his eyes. _We were having a moment. Please don't ruin it by forcing me to throw you into the ocean._

"Oh, like you actually would," Alex said playfully. Lucario responded by walking over and casually lifting his trainer out of the chair. Ignoring the teenager's protests, he carried Alex over to the railings and held him up in the air. "Okay, okay, I get it! Put me down! _Put me down!_ "

Lucario did so, looking rather smug about the affair. _There, maybe now you'll take me a little more seriou—_

Whatever he was about to say was lost to the ages when Alex tackled him. The two hit the deck and rolled around, practically a ball of paws and hands grabbing at each other. Emily and Selina watched them, simultaneously bemused and baffled.

Lucario finally found some leverage and put Alex into a headlock, and then proceeded to give him a noogie. Alex squirmed for a moment and then bit Lucario's arm—eliciting a surprised bark—and used the distraction to grab him and start tickling. The Aura pokemon wiggled out of Alex's grip and promptly returned the favor, before Alex too got loose and they resumed rolling across the floor.

They continued wrestling with each other for several minutes, neither able to keep an advantage for long, before Lucario suddenly…started laughing. Sitting upright, Alex joined in, followed shortly by Emily and Selina.

Vivian, who just came back from her walk around the ship, gave the laughing humans and pokemon a curious glance…and then walked away again. _"I'll come back when they've gotten all the crazy out of their system,"_ she said sagely.

* * *

Unova was said to have more infrastructure than other regions, and nowhere was that exemplified more than its center of trade and commerce, Castelia City. The streets were filled with impossibly huge crowds of people. Cars whizzed past everywhere. The buildings were so tall the very heavens seemed within their reach. For someone like Alex, who'd spent most of his life in one of the most rural towns in the region, it was like stumbling into a whole new world.

Alex stood just outside the entrance to the docks, watching the light of the setting sun peek from behind the skyscrapers. Emily was right behind him, and all of their pokemon save Lucario were in their pokeballs to make navigating the crowds easier.

"This city is _huge…_ " Alex said in a hushed, awestruck tone. "I could spend _years_ here and still not see everything."

 _You should be careful exploring,_ Lucario projected. _I've been to Castelia several times, both alone and with Ricky, and I never did like it here. To be honest, I'd prefer to get the badge as soon as possible and leave._

Alex started to object, but then reminded himself that this _was_ the city where Astra was murdered. "Fair enough. I promise we won't go anywhere too far away from the Pokemon Center or the gym. Speaking of which…" An eager grin stretched across his face and he said, "What do you guys say about heading there right now?"

Lucario started to speak, but was interrupted by the low growl of his empty stomach.

Emily snickered and said, "I say your pokemon sounds hungry. I am too to be honest, and besides, I think the gym's probably closed by now."

Alex took another look at the setting sun, by now only visible as rays of orange light stabbing into the violet twilight. Then, as if to drive the point home, _his_ stomach started growling. With a nervous scratch of his head, Alex said, "Okay, food first, gym later."

After a quick trip to the Pokemon Center to reserve their rooms, the three travelers started looking for somewhere to eat. At Emily's insistence, they eventually settled on a small, unassuming restaurant at an intersection that supposedly served really good Kantoan food. The interior consisted of wooden flooring and plain walls decorated with the occasional painting of something related to Kanto-Johto mythology. The lighting was dim, but warm, and the air heavy with the smells of grilled meats and rice.

A bell chimed to announce their arrival, and the three travelers were promptly seated at the far end of the room at a table spacious enough to accommodate the humans and their partners. Alex and Emily placed their orders, and a short time thereafter the waitress returned with their food plus specially-prepared dishes for the pokemon.

After fumbling for a moment with a pair of chopsticks (and subsequently giving up on them and grabbing a fork instead), Alex took a bite of his Hibachi-grilled chicken and rice. "This is really good!" he said before gleefully shoveling more into his mouth.

"Told you so," Emily said smugly before taking a bite off her own plate. "Out of all the places we went to, Vivian and I spent the most time in Castelia. We found lots of good place to eat, but this was always our favorite."

 _I can see why_ , Lucario projected as he took a bite of what was effectively a rice ball. By chance, his eyes wandered to the sushi plate Alex and Emily were sharing and focused on a large glob of green stuff. _Pardon me, but…what_ is _that exactly?_

Emily looked to where he was pointing and answered, "That's wasabi. It's a kind of a…spicy Kanto version of horseradish, although I'm probably making it sound grosser than it is. You can have some if you want."

Lucario looked at the blob of wasabi. Curiosity got the better of him, and with a spare fork he reached over and scooped up a large chunk.

Emily blanched when she realized what he was doing and yelled, "Lucario, wait, you're not supposed to—!"

Before she could finish, Lucario ate the entire glob of wasabi in one bite. There was an uncomfortable silence that served as prelude to the inevitable reaction. Lucario's ears shot straight up. His eyes widened and watered. Against all logic, even his very fur seemed to turn a red tint to match the inferno overtaking his sense of taste.

In short, Wasabi used Overheat. It was super effective.

With a startled yelp, Lucario reached for the nearest glass of water and chugged it, desperate to wash out the overwhelming combination of hot and dry. He finished his first glass, then a second, and by the time he'd downed a third the effects finally wore off.

Emily groaned. "…you're not supposed to eat a lot of it at once…" she finished futilely.

Alex snorted. "Wow Lucario, for a moment there it looked like you were ready to breath fire! I heard the gym leader here uses bug types; think we should take some with us when we challenge him?"

Lucario glared at his trainer. _You're not near as funny as you think you are_ , he said irritably. He turned to Emily and added, _As for you, I thought you said it was spicy. I know spicy, and whatever_ that _was, it was not spicy!_

Emily held out her hands and shrugged. "Well, to me it's spicy, but then again there's a reason I'm a nurse and not a gourmet."

Lucario elected to reply by grumbling. Selina reached over with a paw and offered a sympathetic, albeit mocking, pat on the back.

"Excuse me, but did I hear you mention you wanted to challenge the gym leader?" Everyone turned to face the speaker, a dark skinned woman with poofy teal hair and eyes of a lighter shade. She wore a white collared shirt with orange pockets, baggy teal pants, and a striped handkerchief on her head.

She looked familiar, but Alex couldn't quite place why. "Erm, yeah, I did—or, rather, I am." Coughing to clear his throat, he added, "Sorry if this sounds weird, but you look really familiar…"

The woman let out a good-natured laugh. "Well, I should hope so; I haven't been retired for _that_ long." With a gentle smile, she said, "I'm Lenora, former gym leader of Nacrene City."

Alex's jaw dropped. She was the gym leader whose museum was robbed by Team Plasma six years ago, and then worked with Castelia's gym leader and a former Champion to catch the thieves. Thoroughly embarrassed for not recognizing her sooner, Alex shot up and blurted out a string of apologetic babble intermixed with praise and admiration.

Lucario swiftly smacked him upside the head. _Am I going to have to do this_ every _time you get star-struck?_ Lucario asked dully.

Lenora, for her part, took it in stride. "Well, you're easily excited," she observed with a bemused smile as Alex rubbed his now sore head. "Sorry, I didn't mean to start a ruckus; I just noticed you and your pokemon from my table and overheard your comment about challenging the gym."

"Is there something we should know?" Emily asked.

Lenora nodded. "Yeah, there is. I figured you just got into town—otherwise you'd already know—but the gym's going to be closed for the next few weeks."

Alex was crestfallen. "Really? _Why?_ "

"Partly because Arty's been itching to rearrange his gym again, but mostly because of what's going on at Relic Castle," Lenora replied. "Apparently, there's a pair of Volcarona running about terrorizing the tourists. Given Arty's a bug-type specialist and my familiarity with the ruins, we've decided to look into it together."

Emily's mouth twitched into a frown. "I'm sorry, but…'Arty?'"

Lenora laughed. "Pardon me, that's just my nickname for him. His full name is 'Arthur Burgh,' but I just call him Arty for short. Pretty fitting I think, what with all the paintings and sculptures he makes." Emily nodded, her momentary confusion now abated.

Alex was disappointed that he'd have to wait to challenge the gym leader, but it was probably for the best as it meant he could train Lucario and Selina in the meantime. Suddenly, Alex had an idea and asked, "Hey, um, Lenora, if you don't mind me asking when are you going to Relic Castle?"

Lenora blinked. "Well…tomorrow, actually—first thing in the morning."

"Well I was wondering," Alex began, "if maybe—if it's not too much trouble—I could come with you? I've never been to Relic Castle or seen a Volcarona before, and I figure since I'm a trainer maybe I could help out if something goes screwy."

Emily rolled her eyes, as did her Vaporeon. "Alex…you realize you're volunteering to help two _gym leaders_ fight off some wild pokemon—pokemon who happen to be a pair of angry _Volcarona_ no less. I think they've got this."

Alex's face turned a deep shade of red. "Er…sorry, I didn't mean to…what I mean is…" With a groaning sigh, he said, "I'm just going to shut up now…"

Lenora started laughing. "Don't be so hard on yourself; I like seeing that kind of fire in a trainer!" After a moment of thought, she said, "Tell you what—meet us at the entrance to Route 4 tomorrow morning. I just know Arty'll get a kick out of you, and far be it for me to deny a chance for an up-and-coming trainer to get a good education."

Alex immediately brightened. "Really!? That's awes—!" Alex stopped himself when he saw Lucario raise a paw and cleared his throat, "I mean, thank you ma'am. I really appreciate it."

"Don't mention it!" Lenora replied genially. Pointing to Emily, she added, "Your friend's welcome to tag along if she wants. Like she said, with two gym leaders we ought to be able to handle whatever trouble comes our way so it's no big deal."

"Huh?" Now it was Emily's turn to look flustered. "Oh, um, thank you, that's really nice of you. I'll definitely consider it."

Lenora nodded, gave Alex more specific instructions on when and where to meet her, and then took her leave.

Lucario watched her go and said, _So we're going to Relic Castle tomorrow. That'll be interesting._

Alex shrugged. "I know it's kind of spur-of-the-moment, but we've got to wait to fight the gym leader anyway and it sounds like it'll be fun." Feeling slightly guilty for jumping the gun, he said, "That's okay with you guys, right?"

Both of his pokemon nodded yes, with Selina jumping first into Alex's lap and then onto his head. _"Wherever you go, we go,"_ the Purrloin declared from atop her perch. _"Besides, that Lenora-woman's head looks comfy, and it'll be fun to mess with the other gym leader before fighting him!"_

Lucario dutifully translated, prompting a sigh from Alex. "Please try not to bother him _too_ much," he said, knowing full well his plea would be dully ignored. He looked at Emily, who was amused by Selina's antics, and asked, "Hey, you'll come too right?"

Emily's eyes widened, and then she seemed unsure. "Well…" she began, but was cut off by Vivian jumping into her lap and chattering excitedly. Even without a translation, it was obvious the Vaporeon wanted to go. "Vivian, are you sure? There's going to be sandstorms and a lot of uneven terrain, not to mention the ruins themselves might be dangerous. I don't want you to hurt yourself…"

Vivian furrowed her brows and squeaked something indignantly at her trainer, making it clear she didn't share Emily's concerns. Audrey chimed in and volunteered to help keep an eye on his teammate, which Lucario translated for convenience's sake.

Emily leaned back into her chair and let out a low groan. "Alright, _fine_ , but promise me you'll let me or Audrey know if you're hurting so I can put you back into your pokeball."

Vivian's face softened into a smile, and after a quick nod she nuzzled against her trainer, who stroked the Bubble Jet pokemon's backside affectionately.

Emily smiled and looked to Alex. "Well, I guess that answers that question then."

They paid their bills and left shortly after. They spent the rest of their evening at the Pokemon Center talking about the trip ahead and making a few last-minute preparations. Then, each teenager retired to a separate room and went to sleep.

* * *

On a whim, Selina had decided that she'd rather sleep at the foot of Alex's bed instead of her pokeball. Unfortunately for her, the Purrloin was a light sleeper and found herself constantly waking up. After doing so for what felt like the twelfth time that night, Selina sat up with a grumble, took a nice long stretch that raised her hindquarters in the air, and stole a tired glance at her teammate by the window.

…Except Lucario wasn't there. Considerably more alert, Selina padded over to his spot—still warm—and sniffed the air. Following his scent, she made her way out of the room, down the stairs, and towards the front door of the Pokemon Center. The scent dissipated once she stepped outside, but fortunately it wasn't needed. The Pokemon Center was just across the street from the oceanfront, and from the door Selina could just make out Lucario sitting on the edge of a pier and staring out into the ocean.

A few moments later and Selina was walking up behind him. She knew from the twitch of his ear that he was aware of her and got straight to the point. _"Having trouble sleeping?"_

Lucario nodded his head without turning around.

" _Well, misery loves company I suppose,"_ she quipped while walking around to sit beside him. _"Maybe it's just me, but this place seems noisier than the other cities I've been to. Honestly, it's a wonder that anyone gets any sleep around here…"_ Selina watched the waves rise and fall for a moment and added, _"Eh, at least this spot is quiet. Kind of pretty too."_

" _Yeah…it is…"_ Lucario replied absent mindedly.

Purrloin cocked her head to the side and realized something was eating at her friend. _"Hey, Lucario…you okay?"_

Lucario thought for a moment. _"Promise you won't think I'm stupid?"_

" _A little late for that,"_ Selina teased. _"But I can promise not to give you any more crap than necessary."_

Apparently that was good enough. _"The past few days have been the happiest I've ever been in years, maybe even my whole life."_ Lucario put a paw to his chest and continued, " _But then I think about Ricky, imagine something happening that takes this all away from me, and it feels like this clamp squeezing, tighter and tighter, until I'm ready to pop. It's stupid and it makes no sense, but I can't help it…"_

Selina's ears flattened against her head. Suddenly, she wrapped a forepaw around Lucario's waist and hugged him, making the Aura pokemon flinch. _"You're just full of all kinds of drama, aren't you?"_ the purple feline said playfully. _"It'll be alright. If you're worried about being left alone, I think me and Alex made it clear back in Virbank how we feel about that. If you're worried about_ somebody else _splitting us up, well…"_ Selina grinned devilishly and said, _"Let's just say not even a resistance to Dark Pulse would save their ass."_

Lucario pictured some poor helpless schmuck being mauled by Selina—a hurricane of claws and teeth and blasts of dark energy—and laughed. When he calmed down, Lucario smiled and returned her hug. _"I really,_ really _misjudged you before,"_ Lucario admitted shamefacedly. Then, he added, _"Thank you for everything you've done for me, and for being such a good friend."_

" _No problem,"_ Selina replied. _"If you need to talk, just tell me; it's got to be better than just bottling it up inside."_

Lucairo nodded and turned back towards the ocean, as did Selina. Both pokemon sat that way for a while, bathed in the glow of a moon-lit sky, nothing but the crash of the tide to disturb the peace.

"… _We should try to get some sleep,"_ Selina said eventually. _"We've got an entire day of keeping Alex out of trouble ahead of us."_

" _Assuming you aren't the cause of the trouble to begin with,"_ Lucario quipped.

" _Bite me,"_ she replied before sticking out her tongue.

The two left the pier and walked back to the Pokemon Center. They were about to open the door when a shrill screech stopped them cold. They heard it a second time and realized it was coming from an alley a block away. Without a word, both pokemon took off running to help who or whatever was in trouble.

Lucario got there first and gasped at what he saw. A horde of living green trash bags with ovals eyes and glass teeth had surrounded what appeared to be a reddish-brown fox with six tails. The trash monsters—Trubbish, he recalled—were attacking the fox pokemon with long tendrils of trash and sprays of painful acid. Lucario felt that some of the Trubbish were angry, but most were amused and seemed to regard the abuse of the hapless pokemon as some kind of sick game.

Lucario _roared_ and charged the nearest Trubbish, picking it up and using Force Palm to send it flying. The explosion of aura flung the trash bag forcefully into a few of his comrades, and before they could react Lucario had repeated his maneuver to knock down the rest of them. The Aura pokemon placed himself between the Trubbish and the fox—a Vulpix—and growled.

The Trubbish formed a line and readied globs of Sludge and Acid Spray, but two beams of pulsating darkness swept across their backsides. Selina took a moment to catch her breath from firing off the Dark Pulses and then yelled, _"Alright you literal sacks of shit—let me explain how this is going to work. Either you leave now, or me and my friend here are going to beat the stuffing out of all of you! Anyone care to try us?"_

Being wild pokemon, they didn't comprehend that greater numbers didn't trump the Lucario's type immunity to most of their attacks and the Purrloin's superior firepower. Half of the Trubbish started firing globs of toxic sludge at Selina while the other half rushed Lucario and tried to deliver full-body tackles or whip him with their tendrils. Selina disappeared behind a Substitute—avoiding their attacks entirely—while Lucario grabbed the tendrils reaching out at him and used them to swing his attackers into their comrades. Selina fired off Dark Pulse again, and the two groups of Trubbish landed in a heap on top of each other.

Lucario loomed over the Trubbish, his silhouette framed by the pale moonlight and red eyes smoldering with fury. The Trash Bag pokemon looked at each other, evaluated their performance thus far, and decided to cut their losses.

" _Yeah, that's right, run away! And don't you_ ever _let us catch you ganging up on someone again!"_ Firing off one more Dark Pulse for good measure, she looked to her teammate and grinned. _"Well, that was fun! We should do that again some time."_

Lucario didn't reply and instead turned to face the Vulpix they'd saved. _"Are you alright?"_ he asked.

As the Fox pokemon started to answer, someone interrupted and yelled, " _What_ is going on in here!?" Lucario and Selina turned around and saw it was Alex, dressed in nothing but a pair of shorts and a white T-shirt. His hair was messy and it was obvious he'd rushed out of bed.

 _Alex? What are you doing up?_ Lucario asked.

"That's what I should be asking you!" he snapped. "First there's this muffled explosion in the middle of the night, then I realize that the two of you aren't in the room before I hear _another_ explosion, and finally I hear a _third_ explosion before finding you two in an alley. What the hell are you two doing that could be causing explosions at _four in the morning!?_ "

The young trainer was trying his best to look indignant, but came across worried more than anything else. Lucario felt momentarily guilty, but shook it off to explain what happened. _Selina and I were having trouble sleeping and came outside to get some air when we heard a scream. We followed it over here and found a bunch of Trubbish attacking this Vulpix, so we fought them off._

Alex's expression switched from pseudo-indignation to confusion. "Um… _what_ Vulpix?" he asked.

 _This one right he—_ he turned to face the Vulpix again, but found nothing. Lucario did a double-take. " _Where'd he go?"_ he asked Selina, who shrugged helplessly and admitted she didn't notice him leave either.

Alex let out a heavy sigh. "Oh well, he probably ran off when he saw me coming. C'mon, let's get back to the Pokemon Center; the police are on their way, and we'll have to explain what happened. Then we need to try and get some rest; we're supposed to be up again in a few hours."

Alex turned and walked away grumbling about the lack of sleep, followed closely by Selina. Lucario followed too, but paused at the entrance to the alley and started to sweep the area with his aura vision. Alex called for him to hurry up, and the Aura pokemon took off after his trainer.

Once he was sure they were gone, the Vulpix emerged from his hiding place behind the trash cans. He sat there, six orange tails swishing lazily, contemplating his rescue form the Trubbish. He then scampered off, disappearing into the shadows of the night.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Remember what I said last chapter about Schedule Slip. I take it back: _this_ is what Schedule Slip feels like.

I don't particularly like it.

To be a bit more serious, I really am sorry that this took me so long. I kept revising and editing my plans for the upcoming arc, bugged by little moments of Fridge Logic, until I could settle on something I think will work well. That, and college is a pain in the ass. I'd like to have chapter 11 out within the next two weeks, but if it doesn't happen don't worry—I haven't abandoned the story! It just means I'm busier than I thought I would be.

Also, I stole another name from CoffeeIncluded again, specifically "Arthur" as a first name for Burgh. It was actually an accident, and I didn't realize what I'd done until I started reviewing my chapter, but in my defense his Japanese name _is_ "Arty" so that's probably where she got "Arthur" from to begin with.

Anyway, happy Halloween, and I hoped you enjoyed the chapter!


End file.
